Mafia Wars
by TiA995
Summary: Rosemarie Hathaway had a crappy job, a crappier apartment and the crappiest ex, but her life was simple and easy. Sure, she secretly hoped for a more eventful and exciting existence, but not even in her wildest dreams would she have wished to be sucked into a world of men like Adrian Ivashkov and Dimitri Belikov. Men who knew her by a different surname. AU, slightly OOC and very M!
1. CH1 - The Waitress and The King

**POV: Rose**

"DIMITRI!"

My heart stopped. People usually said that their hearts skipped a beat or jumped up in their chest when they got really scared or excited, but mine just stopped altogether. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't move or make a sound. I heard nothing but the muffled noises of gunshots and saw nothing but a body on the ground. I didn't move on my own, I was sure of it. Something moved me, some unseen force propelled me forward, until I was on the floor next to that body.

"D-, Dimitri?", it came out as a shaky question, like I was uncertain if it was really him, like I was still convinced that he was invincible enough to never get into a situation such as this, like I was scared that he wouldn't talk back. But he did.

"Roza."

"Oh God", I whispered, reaching to cup his hand that was pressed against his stomach. I saw blood seeping through his fingers, but I tried not to think about what that meant. I wanted to comfort him, do something, say something, anything, but I couldn't, I was too damn scared.

"I'm going to bury them", I heard a growl erupt somewhere behind me, "I'm going to rip them to pieces, I- WHAT?"

A quiet rumble, a frightened answer to the question that was yelled out and then chaos: "WHERE IS HE? WHERE-, Dimitri?"

Fast footsteps, a shadow falling over Dimitri as rapid breaths filled my ears. He fell next to me, the thud of his body hitting the ground echoing like the loudest sound I'd heard so far. Maybe not the loudest, but the most significant one. It wasn't easy to bring someone as mighty as him to his knees.

"He-, he is bleeding", I breathed out as I felt a grip on my shoulder, fingers digging into my skin so hard I thought they might rip into me, "He was shot. They shot him, Adrian. They-."

"No, no, no", Adrian blurted, crawling around Dimitri and pulling him into his lap, "No, you don't get to die like this. You don't get to leave me."

"It's okay", Dimitri tried to even out his voice, but the cringing of his face told a different story.

"No it's not. I told you, I told you a million times to wear a bulletproof west. Haven't I told you?", Adrian rambled angrily, but his eyes... oh, those lovely, glimmery crystals were sinking and swimming in an ocean of helplessness.

"You have to go", Dimitri pushed out, as always selflessly thinking about everyone but himself, "They might come back."

"Let them", Adrian spat through gritted teeth, "I have a bullet for each and every one of those fucking bastards."

"Adrian", Dimitri warned, but Adrian was done listening to reason.

He helped Dimitri to a seated position, both of them grunting as Adrian put all of his force into lifting Dimitri, which obviously caused even more pain to the wounded man. Adrian glanced up at me and mumbled: "A little help here."

Orders. I was good with orders at times like this. The nickname Adrian had made for me in the spur of a moment applied for most situations, Little Renegade - yep, that was me. Not now though, not when my mind refused to work or deal with complicated tasks. Being told what to do was just what I needed.

I slid underneath Dimitri's arm and found the hand Adrian held on his back, clasping it hard. I probably stopped his circulation, but he didn't protest. He dragged Dimitri to his feet while I did my best to support at least some of his weight. Adrian barked out a few instructions to the rest of his men before we headed towards their car.

"Adrian, I'm slowing you down", Dimitri argued, his teeth grinding together in a pained wince as we dragged him forward.

"Заткнись", Adrian snapped, "Я пытаюсь спасти тебя."

"Да, хорошо, ты идиот."

"No, I'm family", Adrian responded in English and whatever they talked about seemed to have had the desired effect on Dimitri since his usual fire and ironclad will returned, causing him to gather his strength and do some of the walking himself.

"Rose, the door", Adrian voiced as I slowly let go of Dimitri and hurried ahead to the back of the car.

"I think this is the longest you've ever been quiet Rose", Dimitri chuckled unevenly as I grabbed the door handle with shaky hands.

"Don't get used to it, Comrade."

A screeching of tires echoed through the night making what was left of Adrian's men to raise their artillery like synchronized puppets and the three of us to turn towards the noise. A mean, black monster of a car hurled towards us not only breaking the speed limit, but the laws of physics as well.

"You might have to use those bullets now", Dimitri coughed as we stared at the more than fast approaching sedan.

"I'll be delighted", he mumbled, but I could see this odd glint in his eyes that I'd never seen before. _Fear_. Shit, we were all going to die, weren't we?

 **Four months ago**

"Come on, get out of there already", Lissa shouted, throwing her slipper at the curtain of the fitting room.

It fell through, ruffling the material slightly and I laughed when I heard a soft _ouch_ from the other side. I straightened up in my seat when the curtain moved again and Sydney pushed her way out of the corner she had been hiding in. Lissa's slipper flew our way as Sydney scolded: "That was rude."

"Oh my God Syd you look AMAZING", Lissa exclaimed, jumping to her feet and hurrying forward to push our shy friend into the spotlight in front of the floor-length mirror.

She really did look amazing, like an angel in human form - her golden hair dancing over her bare shoulders, the tight corset of the dress hugging her breasts and waist perfectly, the gentle white material with golden sparks falling in slopes around her legs and sprawling over the floor. She looked just like any bride to be would hope to look and then some.

"It's perfect", Lissa squealed giddily as she circled Sydney who glanced up at me and gave me an uncertain smile.

"You guys really like it?"

"You are beautiful Syd", I butted in, rising to join them, "Oh and the dress is cool too."

"Rose", Sydney gasped in embarrassment, but her smile widened just a little bit.

"Shoes, I have to find you shoes to match this and-", the rest of what Lissa said was lost in a string of incoherent mumbles of her monologue.

"I'm just not sure if-", Sydney started, gingerly running her hands over the material of the dress.

"Look at me", I said confidently, taking her hands and squeezing them, "Someone with a fashion sense as killer as mine can't be wrong. This dress was made for you."

"Okay", Sydney breathed out, nodding to her reflection.

 _Should I say something? I should say something. Or maybe I shouldn't push my nose where it doesn't belong. She is one of my two best friends though, I'm obliged to stop her from messing up her life_ , I battled with myself for a few long minutes before one audible 'fuck it' escaped me.

"What?", Sydney asked through a frown.

"Syd, are you sure you are up for this?", I quickly pushed out before I could change my mind.

"Shopping?", she shot back as clueless as usual.

"Getting married."

Her eyes shot up to my reflection before she twirled around to look at me again with the most confused expression I'd ever seen on her. She opened her mouth and closed it shut for a solid minute until she was able to get her shit together and carefully reply: "Of course I am. Brayden and I are a good match, he is an intellectual man and he comes from a great family and-."

"And he is utterly boring, terrible in bed from what I gathered and, most importantly, you don't love him", I cut in, raising my eyebrow.

"Since when does Rosemarie Hathaway care about love?", she contradicted, obviously trying to avoid the topic I'd initiated and probably unwilling to admit that I was one hundred percent right about the lousy sex and his annoying persona. Yep, I really didn't like the guy. She was right, he was essentially a good guy and he might be a good match for, er... someone, but that someone was definitely not her. She needed some fire in her life, someone who'd force her out of her comfort zone and make her loosen up a little.

"Oh, I don't", I shrugged before I fixed her with my eyes and prompted, "But you do."

"Well, I do, I do lo-love him", she stammered, her cheeks reddening again while her gaze dropped.

"You want to try that again while you're not staring at your toes?"

When Sydney stayed quiet I figured this was my chance to finally say everything that was on my mind lately. Sink or swim, right?

"Look, all I'm saying is that you shouldn't do this because your family wants you to or because it _sounds_ right, that's all. I'm not saying this to confuse you, I'm saying it to protect you. I don't want you to do something you'll regret later."

"And then you say you don't know what love is", she whispered with a small smile playing on her lips, but a saddened look in her eyes.

"I don't actually. I hate your skinny ass", I chuckled, earning a slap on the arm before a surprising, bone-crushing hug.

"I'll give your words a thought", she said before Lissa reappeared with those damn shoes she was so hyped about.

She stopped babbling when she noticed the serious expressions Sydney and I wore and asked: "Is everything okay? Did I miss something?"

"Everything's fine Liss", I reassured her, "We were just waiting for those God-awful sparkly shoes that Sydney wouldn't wear even if the world was ending."

"SHUT UP ROSE", they both exclaimed making me burst into laughter.

 **POV: Dimitri**

"Adrian", I shouted as I pounded on the door, "Wake up. There are people here to see you."

No response. _Damn it_! I sighed and pushed the door open, instantly getting hit by the nauseating smell of what was left after a night of sweating and moaning. The smell of sex - that was the only way to call it and it wasn't a pleasant thing when it belonged to someone other than you and the person you were with.

"Adrian", I shouted, knowing whispers weren't nearly enough to wake him up under any circumstances, let alone when he had consumed plenty of alcohol, "Get up."

He frowned and shifted a little, but he was still out of it just like the two girls that were wrapped around him like vines. Our guests downstairs were most likely getting impatient by now so I decided to go for the nuclear option and prayed for the best outcome. I grabbed a glass of water that was left on the nightstand and poured it over him. He growled and fought to rid himself of the obstacles preventing him from reaching for his gun. I waited until he had it cocked and aimed at my chest, blinking rapidly at me before I spoke again: "You are slow."

"And you are insane", he retorted as his companions sobered up as well and glared at me, probably dissatisfied by the rude awakening, "I could have shot you."

"You could have tried", I confidently replied as I handed him a shirt, "Get dressed. We have work to do."

I politely walked the girls out once they were dressed and took the slips where they wrote their numbers, throwing them in the first bin on my way to the living room. He was never going to call them, so I'd learned not to bother saving any of their many numbers. Last time I tried to give him one he grinned and told me to use it if I wish because _'maybe then you wouldn't brood so damn much'_. Though I appreciated his inappropriate offer, I'd never stoop so low. I wasn't interested in cheap thrills and one night stands, especially not if they were leftovers.

To my utmost surprise Adrian had already taken his position in his favourite armchair by the time I'd returned to where our guests were waiting. What never ceased to amaze me was the speed at which he was able to make himself look presentable. It probably helped that his hair was a magically styled mess most of the time and that he was the kind of guy who'd look well in anything from suits to pyjamas.

Even if I didn't know who the men that came to see him were, I would be fairly certain they weren't important just by his outfit choice. No jacket and vest, no tie and cufflinks, just a plain white button up and sporty pants coupled with his more casual shoes. Yeah, he didn't give two shits about these fellas.

He was mid-sentence when I walked in, obviously in a hurry to finish up with them. He had a cigarette stuck between his lips and a glass of Bourbon in his hand. Sometimes I'd find myself praying that his organs would serve him at least until he was forty despite all the junk he was constantly putting into his body. He loved flirting with death and I knew he'd eventually lose that battle. It was his family's way - live fast, fear no one, stick it to fate and, beyond that, just cross your fingers.

"Dimitri", he called out to me sharply, peering over his shoulder, "Go find McCall."

He was barking orders which could only mean one thing - bad news. The men that sat opposite of him weren't important sure, but the message they carried obviously was. I knew exactly where Kit McCall was and so did Adrian. He actually made it a habit to know where each and every one of his men was at all times, especially his favourites, like Kit. That was why I knew straight away he just wanted me out of the room. It wasn't often that Adrian excluded me from business so it was safe to say I was more than intrigued by these unannounced visitors. They had some balls, I'd give them that. People didn't just barge into Adrian Ivashkov's house whenever they felt like it and lived long enough to tell the tale of their foolish adventure.

"Dimitri", Adrian repeated and I nodded, swiftly turning on my heel and walking back out.

He was my cousin, but he was my boss first and even I knew better than to disobey him. I didn't seek out McCall though, because it was a fool's errand. I made my way to the kitchen instead to grab another cup of coffee. I patiently waited for Adrian to appear and when he did, I barely managed to get out of the way when he hurled his now empty glass towards the sink. The sound of it falling to pieces was overpowered by a string of curses that flew from his lips.

"I knew that son of a bitch wasn't going to be anything but trouble. I should have killed him when I had the chance."

There was only one man that could cause such anger so I asked: "What did Samuel do now?"

"He messed with the wrong people, AGAIN", Adrian responded pacing through the kitchen aimlessly, "How fucking hard can it be to keep your dogs on the leash? I feel like a goddamn babysitter, going around cleaning up everyone's shit."

"So don't do it. Let them fight it out among themselves and simply side with the winner in the end", I suggested calmly, capturing his attention enough to stop him in his tracks.

"Well, look at you", he chuckled, crossing his arms on his chest and raising his eyebrow at me, "You seem to be turning into the same kind of heartless and calculated bastard as me."

"You are not heartless, that's exactly your problem."

"Maybe so", he mused, his head falling back as he looked up at the ceiling, "Perhaps I should change my tune."

"Perhaps you should stop shutting me out when shit hits the fan", I bravely pointed out, knowing when it was the right time to pick a fight and get away with it. It was the artistry I'd learned over the years I'd spent by his side.

"You think I'm shutting you out?", he questioned, suddenly no longer interested in whatever particular spot he was staring at moments ago.

"Aren't you?"

"Didn't I just tell you everything that you missed hearing in that room? I just didn't want you to be there to stop me if I decided to kill the messengers after all. It has been awhile since I tasted blood and I'm getting thirsty."

"So basically, you didn't want me to stop you from being reckless. Isn't that why you hired me in the first place?"

"No, I hired you because I needed someone I could trust", he pointed out confidently, "And that's why you are going to be attending the meeting with Samuel tonight with me. Just you."

"No back up?"

"No back up that'll be close enough to hear what I've got to say."

"Okay."

"Okay", he confirmed before he turned to leave.

He stopped in the doorway and glanced at me with a devilish grin playing on his face while he added: "Oh and I should probably mention that we are going to your favorite place.

"Not The A-."

"The Academy", he cut in, laughing loudly as I growled in annoyance and rolled my eyes.

 **POV: Rose**

"No, no, nope, definitely not."

"Oh come on Rose, they are not all that bad", Sydney protested as I flipped through the outfits in her closet, trying to pick what she'd wear for our improvised bachelorette party tonight.

"Syd, these all look like something a forty year-old accountant who's going to a conference in Valdez would wear."

"Valdez?"

"Sounds like a boring place to be", I shrugged and kept going until I finally ran into something I liked, "Now _this_ I could roll with."

"That's a Halloween costume", Sydney protested as I pulled out a short, lacy, black dress from the corner of her closet, "The one you bought for me when we were dressing up as vampires."

"It's perfect", I concluded as Lissa, who'd just walked out of the bathroom, hummed in agreement when I pushed the dress into Sydney's hands.

"Fineee", she cried as she hung it on the door of the closet, "Where are we going anyway?"

"I got us on the guest list for... wait for it", Lissa dramatically exclaimed and I drummed my palms on the nightstand to add to her desired effect, "The Academy."

"No freaking way. How'd you pull that off?"

"Aaron knows some people. Hope you don't mind him coming."

"Is he a woman now?", I questioned as Sydney politely said: "He is welcomed to join us anytime. What's The Academy anyway?"

We gawked up at her and Lissa shook her head in disapproval to Sydney's lack of knowledge while she elaborated: "Only one of most popular clubs in the States. No biggie."

"I don't go to clubs much."

"And don't we know it", I chuckled, making her frown and plop her palms on her hips, taking the stance of a scolding parent.

"Not everyone has the time to party Rose. Some of us have jobs."

"I have a job", I protested.

"You work as a waitress."

"What's wrong with that?", I challenged, making Sydney lose some of her attitude.

"Nothing", she quickly replied, obviously trying to avoid a fight that was on the verge of breaking out.

And it turned out she was in luck since my phone rang in the following moment and interrupted our discussion. I looked at the caller's ID and forgot all about the outfits and parties. I tried keeping my tone down and expression as light and as playfully as always while I announced: "I have to take this and go home to change while I'm at it. I'll see you guys later."

"Don't be late", Lissa called after me just before I answered my phone.

"Rosemarie, I hope you are not busy. We need to talk about something."

"Hello to you too mother", I responded as the door of Sydney's apartment closed behind me and I headed towards the stairs, "What can I do for you today?"

"There's been some... trouble at work", she tensely responded and I could literally picture her straightening up in her chair and leaning against her desk the way she usually did when she was about to get down to business or bossing around in my case, "So I wanted to kindly ask you to avoid any activates that could draw attention to you."

"Let me guess, some vicious killer you've arrested did the good old jailbreak and now you think that he has nothing better to do than to track yours truly and play out some ridiculous revenge?"

"Rosemarie, this not a good time for jokes", she scolded in the same tone she used whenever I did something naughty as a child.

"Is there ever a good time for jokes with you mother?", I snapped, making an old lady that was passing by me on the street jump up and glare at me, "Need I remind you that my life couldn't be more boring and ordinary even if I wanted it to be? We live in different states mom and if our cousins can't track me down to send me those annoying Christmas cards, I'm sure some random criminal that Detective Hathaway arrested won't either. Now is that all, because I have a bachelorette party to go to?"

"Where are you going?"

"Sydney's place. Talk to you... later", I said before I hung up and ran after the bus that would take me home.

 _Man, this woman had a way of giving me a headache just by breathing_. I thought things would change between us once I grew up and became my own person, but it seemed like she was always going to act like I was five and incapable of taking care of myself. I used to find a million explanations as to why she was the way she was. It always came down to the same one - she lost her husband and she was terrified of losing me too. She loved me, I knew she did, but she had an odd way of showing it and her worrying had the tendency of suffocating me.

I picked a seat at the back of the bus and settled down, leaning against the cold glass of the window and blowing out an unsteady breath. _Things could have been different if he was here_ , I thought as I instinctively grabbed my necklace and began playing with it. It was the only things I had of my father's - a family heirloom that was passed down through the women of his family. A sliver chain ending with a black pearl under which hung an oval, intricate, bold pendant with the fancy letter 'M' carved out at the center of it. I always wondered what the M stood for, since my father's last name, my last name, didn't even contain that letter. Wondering was all I could do most of the time. My mother almost never spoke of him, I knew none of the relatives from his side, I'd only seen one single picture of him and that picture was always locked up in the drawer of my mother's nightstand away from the world for some reason known only to her. I'd learned over the years that asking questions rarely ended well and never helped me get any closer to actually knowing something about her past and my origins. So I'd given up. He was dead, nothing I knew about him could change that.

Sydney didn't live far from me, so it wasn't long before I got off the bus and headed towards the tiny apartment I called home. I barely managed to cover the rent for the shithole, but it was my shithole so I was still proud of it. The only thing I hated about it was the fact that the damn elevator never worked and I lived on the top floor. I was always breathless by the time I was unlocking my door, no matter how many times I ran up those spirally stairs. The rest, like the heating problem, the drafty windows and my neighbor's annoying cat that always found its way into my apartment through the fire escape were all minor inconveniences I could live with.

I had a sort of a routine whenever I'd cross the threshold - throw the keys on the counter, drum my fingers on the aquarium just to check if those boring fishes were still alive, go through my voicemail, ignore the bills stacked up on the coffee table and open up a cold beer that was usually the only thing I had in my fridge. Only this time I almost spluttered that beer all over my kitchen when I heard the first message waiting for me on the answering machine.

 _Rosie, it's been a while. I miss you. Call me back, will you? I'll be in town for a few days so we could meet up. You know you want to babe. Talk soon._

"Fuck off Jesse", I screamed at the lifeless piece of plastic like he could somehow hear me through it and slammed my palm against it, nearly breaking it into pieces, "Ugh."

 _How the hell did he get my number now?_ Probably from the poor and naïve Aaron. He was a nice enough guy, but not the sharpest tool in the shed, so I wouldn't be surprised if Jesse managed to persuade him he had the best intentions, like that was possible.

"I don't have time for this shit", I growled to myself out loud and turned to go to the bathroom.

I stopped after a few steps, returning to grab the beer that I'd left behind. The shower was as good place as any to finish it off and I needed to loosen up. _Who knew, maybe tonight was going to be my lucky night_. It had been a while, more than a year actually, so it was about damn time I got some action. Breaking up with Jesse stung more than I'd ever admit and I was getting desperate to forget all about him whether it was through a one-night stand or an actual relationship.

I picked a tight, strappy cross back plum dress with a plunging neckline that I knew looked terrific on me and paired it with black high heels. I decided to leave my hair down since my curls actually looked pretty neat for a change and gave up on changing my jewelry, sticking to the only piece I always wore. I finished up with my makeup just as Lissa texted me that Aaron picked her and Sydney up and that they were on their way to my place.

"It's going to be a good night", I whispered to myself since, for some inexplicable reason, I couldn't shake this sense of foreboding off, "A really good night."

* * *

 **Hey folks! I know I already have a few on-going stories, but I couldn't resist posting this one (sorry not sorry)!** T **his idea had been running around my head for over a year, but I never had enough time to dedicate myself to writing it out. Now that it's finally here, I'm kind of excited about it and I really hope y'all like it.** **I wanted to have a steady schedule for updating it so I waited until I had four months worth of material before publishing this little thing! So y'all can expect a chapter a week in the following four months for sure!**

 **I'm officially treading in new waters with this one since this is the first AU I've attempted to write. I should also point out that our beloved characters might feel slightly OOC throughout this story, cause the plot called for it, but I'll do my best to keep them true to their original selves most of the time.** **Also,** **I know that y'all are going to be full of questions and those questions will be answered in due time. I'll just answer the one I know will be at the top of the list for most - YES, ladies and gentleman, I'm FINALLY writing a ROMITRI story, hooray! Naturally, it's not just about Romitri and it'll be a slow burn with a lot of bumps on the way, but we'll get there if you are patient enough to wait.**

 **Now I would like to take a moment and thank the godmother of this story Meg (FF: megamorr) for believing in this idea and me and for making it so much better with her editing, suggesting and brainstorming! THANKS GIRL! Even if I could have done this without you, I would never want to! You are AWESOME!**

 **One last thing, as always all of the chapters will have song suggestions cause, come on, you know me! However, I wanted to use this AN to give you the main theme songs for this story: 1. Crossfire Pt. II - Stephen 2. Natural - Imagine Dragons 3. Believer - Imagine Dragons**

 **Hope to see y'all next week! Kisses!**

* * *

 **Translations (*I improvise translations according to online translators and the similarities between my own language and Russian aka I write it the way it "sounds" right, so sorry if it's not correct):**

 **Заткнись. Я пытаюсь спасти тебя. = Shut up. I'm trying to save you.**

 **Да, хорошо, ты идиот. = Yeah, well, you're an idiot.**


	2. CH2 - The Academy

**POV: Rose**

I loved this music. It woke me up, every buzz of the bassline making my heart jump, bringing me to this intoxicating high, making me feel alive. I shut my eyes tight, the colorful, flashing lights dancing over my eyelids as I swayed my hips to the rhythm. I felt the heat building up around me, the grinding of bodies sending waves of energy that rippled through the crowd. Man, this was amazing.

"Rose?", Sydney shouted into my ear, making my eyes snap open.

She pointed towards the bar and I nodded, glancing behind me to see Lissa and Aaron lip-locked and lost in their own world, obviously not interested in getting drinks. They were clearly satisfying other thirsts.

Sydney held onto my hand tightly as we pushed our way off the dancefloor. I knew she had this insane fear of getting lost in a crowd. I never really knew if it was a childhood trauma or something, but I let her cling to me, squeezing her hand back as reassurance. This was supposed to be her night, but she seemed like she was the one having the least fun. I vowed to myself to change that, which is why her suggestion to get drinks couldn't have come with a better timing. My lightweight of a friend would be dancing like there was no tomorrow after a few shots for sure.

Ever since we'd entered The Academy I could tell why it was so popular. It was the fanciest club I'd seen and I'd seen plenty between being a waitress and a wild going-out-every-weekend phase I had with Lissa while she was in college. The extremely high ceiling made the place feel spacious even though there were too many people filling it. There were glamourous crystal pendant lights hanging from the center of the club complemented by strobe lights that were so elegant a white that they almost looked silver. The silver lights hit the crystals on the chandeliers, sending a sparkly glow all around the walls of the club, bringing more life to the dark scenery.

Above the dancefloor was a U-Shaped balcony with a wrought iron railing decorated with artistic letters "A". There were smaller booths on both sides and a large one right in the middle. I quickly found myself wondering what those booths looked like up close. Judging by the prices and the clientele of the place though, I doubted I would ever get anywhere near them. Those seats were probably always reserved for deep-pocketed people or friends of the owner, both of which I was certainly not and most likely never would be. I could take a good guess though: dimly lit, leather lined, low tables with drinks that cost more than my rent, all of it hidden behind long dark curtains that were the only thing I could see from down here.

Finally, the most extravagant thing around was the long, dark grey, marble bar with large ornate stools. Rather than the usual flat shelves behind the bar, the liquor bottles were showcased on a variety of stand alone pedestals that zig-zagged across the wall, embellished by dim pink and blue neon lights that caused them to look as if they were floating.

It seemed lady luck was on our side that evening when one of the stools was quickly abandoned by its former patron just as we arrived and I nudged Sydney to climb on it. I leaned on the bar next to her and cast a look at the nearest bartender. He noticed me almost instantly and what I noticed just as fast was that he looked mighty fine. His dark hair was messy and his bold blue eyes stood out even more from the the pink neon lights that were shining from the shelves and across his face. A smirk playing on his lips looked like an expression that was well practiced and rather constant. The guy next to him stepped towards us, but blue-eyes stopped him with a sharp shake of his head.

I found it odd that everyone was busting their asses around him, but he seemed to be at complete ease. He approached us slowly and swung the rag he was using to polish a glass over his shoulder before he asked: "What's your poison?"

"Surprise me", I shot back, feeling that old, familiar man-eating smile tugging at my lips.

He quirked his eyebrow and the smirk widened, before he nodded and grabbed a few bottles from the shelf behind him. He worked fast, showing off as he flipped the bottles and poured the liquor from midair the way bartenders tended to do in fancy places likes this. He made two cocktails, even though Sydney never got a chance to order hers and as he set them in front of us as he winked at her, before saying: "I took the liberty of choosing for you as well. If you don't like it I'll make you a new one, but I'm never wrong."

"That's awfully confident", I teased, taking my glass and studying the drink.

"I read people well", he simply responded with a satisfied expression, "Your friend seems like someone who's into sweet thing, drinks included, but she secretly likes a dose of danger."

"Sounds about right", I laughed, honestly impressed, not that I'd tell him that.

"What's it called?", Sydney wondered, picking up her glass.

"Hurricane."

"I like the sound of that", Sydney approved before she carefully took a sip, her eyes widening as she did, "Oh my God, this is amazing."

"What did I get?", I prompted, raising my voice as the bass rumbled loudly through the chorus of the song that was playing.

"Something with a kick. The devil in its name is a warning enough", he shouted with a grin that was nothing short of trouble.

My eyebrow shot up in amusement as I picked up the glass intended for me, catching the straw with my tongue and taking a generous sip. At first I thought it was a cocktail like any other - sweet from the juice and liqueur, bitter and sharp because of the alcohol the colorful fluids were masking. But then the spicy aftertaste shook me to my very core. It was a mean drink.

"Good?", the bartender asked with confidence as I looked up.

"Splendid, Mister-?"

"Christian", he responded through an easy smile, "Leave the Mister part out though, Miss?"

"Rosemarie. Leave the Marie part out though along with the Miss", I shot back, leaning on the bar again, watching his eyes fall right where I wanted them - on my cleavage which was rather visible in my current position.

"This is Sydney", I added, cracking my head towards her, "The bride to be. So how about some shots to celebrate her terrible fate?"

"It's not terrible", Sydney protested, but her lips tugged into a smile at my theatrics.

"Depends on who you're asking", Christian pointed out as he reached for another bottle and picked up three shot glasses, "I'm sure many charming gentleman will be gravely disappointed to lose the chance to win over a beautiful girl like you."

Sydney blushed fiercely and giggled. _He was quite a charmer, wasn't he?_ He placed the shoots next to our cocktails and rose his own in a toast: "To terrible fates and whatnot."

"Well, that's depressive", I laughed, but joined in, "Still, I'll drink to it."

"I'll drink to making friends in the oddest of places", Sydney added earning another wink from Christian.

"That could work too", he agreed and we downed the shots just as somebody knocked into my back.

I barely managed not to splutter liquid all over Christian as I fell forward. I coughed and spun around to face a man that was trying to surpass me or more like go through me.

"Dude, can you watch where you're going?"

He eyed me with what seemed like anger, like it was my fault he couldn't keep a straight line. If I wasn't feeling so bold all of a sudden I probably would have backed down in an instant. When a guy as buff as him, with a mean looking scar in the middle of his eyebrow and an entourage that all of a sudden gathered around him was giving you the stink-eye, it was probably a good idea to run and run really fast. For a moment he looked like he was going to say something, but then he wordlessly turned around and motioned the guys that were surrounding him to follow him away from me.

As soon as their backs turned I let out a shaky breath and nodded to myself proudly, less because I didn't show the fear that filled me and more because I didn't get into a messy situation because of my smart-mouth.

"You are either stupid or crazy. Possibly both", Christian commented as I stepped back and glanced at Sydney's still panicked expression.

"Or your drink simply helped me grow a pair."

"Nah, you strike me as the kind of woman who already had a pair. The drink has nothing to do with it."

"I like you Chris", I laughed, sliding onto the chair next to Sydney's as another girl got off it.

"Okay, the drink might have had an influence", he laughed as he grabbed his shaker again, "You want another one, Rose without the Marie?"

 **POV: Dimitri**

I loathed this music. It was too loud, too fast and lacking any quality that could even bring it close to being classified as art. The music, however, wasn't the worst thing this night had to bring. The space around me reeked of alcohol, self-pity and decadence. It made me feel so uncomfortable that I too gave into the same kind of escape most souls around here were looking for. I emptied my glass and slammed it on the table, not even bothering to stop Adrian when he poured me another double vodka. I readjusted my holster and drummed my fingers over the gun tucked inside of it.

"Relax", Adrian shouted over the noise, handing me the glass he had filled while tilting his own towards me, "За тебя!"

"За нас", I shot back, before I brought the glass to my lips.

"Bah, this stuff is garbage", Adrian exclaimed as a gulp went down his throat, "What I wouldn't give for some real Russian vodka."

I laughed and shook my head at Adrian's astonishing capability to always find something to bitch about. Last night he was drinking the worst concoction, which was falsely labeled as scotch, without even blinking or giving it a second thought. It must have felt good enough when paired with the taste of Charlotte's cherry lipstick or irrelevant compared to the activity Bethany was performing between his legs. Yes, I had the exclusive first row seat to the beginning of his debauchery yesterday evening and yes, unlike him I actually tended to remember the names of the girls he would pick up.

"Perhaps we could go to Russia for our vacation", he suggested, as he absentmindedly played with his ruby cufflink.

"Adrian, we don't go on vacations."

"Well it's about bloody time we did, wouldn't you agree?"

"I think we have bigger worries than our potential vacation plans", I voiced as I noticed a slight stir in the crowd, like waves softly breaking against a rock in the sea.

" _He is here"_ , McCall's voice came through my earbud, confirming my doubts.

Adrian glanced up at me as if on cue and, upon seeing my more than usually gloomy expression, sang: "Showtime."

Samuel was what one might surmise as a movie-like gangster. He wasn't a planner or someone who did things as a part of a bigger picture or in the long run. He liked doing things here and now, just because he felt like it and because he could. He didn't stop to think who he could anger or what enemies he could make. Maybe that was because he had the insane luck not to wind up punching too much above his weight or because he had people cleaning up his messes before they spiraled out of control. Adrian's father used to fix what he had broken all the time, simply because he found him useful. His usefulness came from his willingness to work with the scum of our world and deal with ugly situations in even uglier ways.

"Ah, Samuel, I'm glad you could make it", Adrian greeted as if he was talking to his best buddy. In reality, he truly hated his guts, but still knew challenging him could only end in a lot of unnecessary bloodshed. Or at least I hoped he knew it.

I think what bothered Adrian the most, aside from the fact that the guy was a complete moron, was that Samuel, like many people we'd run into on daily bases, meddled in things Adrian loathed. When I first started working for Adrian, I actually found it ludicrous that a guy who I viewed as nothing more than a criminal had principles. The kind of principles that made him want to stay away from one of the jobs with the biggest incomes - drugs. He allowed many of his associates to move their product through his club and casino, but he, under no circumstances, wanted to distribute them himself. I never really understood why, especially since he was no stranger to using some of that very product.

"Adrian, it's been awhile", Samuel responded, extending his hand to grip Adrian's tightly.

His narrow eyes seemed even smaller when he peered at me with what I could only call disdain. His brows furrowed, the thick scar that was cutting one of them twisting in a way that only made it uglier. _Seriously, as if the guy wasn't already painful to look at._

"Please", Adrian offered, gesturing towards the seat opposite of us and sliding the bottle across the table.

"Don't mind if I do", Samuel barked more than chuckled as he helped himself to the bottle.

There was a small pause as they drank. I had abandoned the activity, deciding it would be best if I had a clear head and Samuel's companions didn't even dare to approach the table unless Adrian offered, which he wasn't going to do. Not because he had no manners, but because he knew exactly where to keep people in order to maintain control over them. The further the men stood, the less power they had and the less fear they could strike. We were very much outnumbered because of Adrian's decision to only keep me near him. Sure McCall and the rest of our backup was close, but not close enough to react if this night was to go terribly wrong.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?", Samuel asked through a grimace that was probably meant to be a smile.

"Well", Adrian started, leaning back and crossing his legs casually, "I believe keeping in touch with my associates is one of the many reasons why I run a successful business. Especially in times of need."

"Need?", Samuel prompted like he had no idea what Adrian was talking about. Then again, he was pretty thick so perhaps he didn't.

"Word gets around. I've heard you've gotten yourself into a pickle. Italian's don't like people stepping on their toes."

"Oh that", Samuel snorted, pursing his lips, "Not a biggie."

"I beg to differ", Adrian pushed out as his smile wavered and his patience visibly declined, "Italians are big on vendettas and taking an eye for an eye."

"Still, it's not something you should worry about Adrian."

" _Still_ , I do", he stressed, his expression now becoming flat, "You work for me so whatever you or your _employees_ do reflects on me. I don't want any beef with the Ricci's, especially now that my business is heading in a different direction."

Samuel's messy brow shot up at the end of Adrian's sentence in curiosity. The ultimate plan, the bigger picture - Adrian and I'd been working on it for almost a year now and we'd talked about it even longer than that. I knew he was never going to clue someone like Samuel into it, but it was good that he was talking steps to ensure his idea becomes more than just that. He was slowly but surely getting rid of loose or, in this case, unnecessary ends. Samuel had to go, one way or the other.

"And what direction might that be?"

"It's not something you should worry about Samuel", Adrian threw his earlier words back at the man who was clearly less than pleased by that, "What you should worry about is how you fit into that direction, because right now you are going the opposite way."

"Is that a threat?", Samuel spat out, making his men tense up. I deftly slid my hand over my holster and waited patiently. I wasn't going to make the first move, I was just taking precautions.

"Of course not", Adrian lied through his ass, fully aware that his "partner" was just crazy enough to try to take him on right here and now, "Just a suggestion. See, I'd like you to change the way you do things."

"What is it that you would like me to change exactly?"

"For starters, I'd like you to exercise restraint a little more and work on your authority because it's sorely lacking."

Samuel stared unblinkingly at Adrian who picked up his glass and twirled its contents around, the half-melted ice dancing over the choppy surface of the see-through liquid. His dumbstruck expression finally changed into a stupid grin as he glanced over his shoulder and shouted to his men: "Isn't he a comedian?"

They seemed uncertain of what they ought to do for a few moments, but then they all let out stifled and forced laughs while their boss turned back towards us and added: "Aren't you a comedian?"

"Not really", Adrian replied, cringing as he took a sip of his drink though I knew he wasn't reacting to the intensity of the alcohol in it. He was pissed, big time.

"And while we are talking about you, perhaps you should change that attitude as well. It's not good for you. You might anger someone who won't be as forgiving as me."

"Look, Ivashkov", Samuel chuckled, "I'm not liking what I'm hearing here and if you were someone else I'd probably shoot you right in the face. However, out of respect for your father-."

"My father is dead", Adrian cut in and roughly placed his glass down, finally deciding to stop playing around with it and with this nuisance sitting opposite of us while he was at it, "But you are already well aware of that fact since he was killed while dealing with the problems you've created. Luckily for you, I don't hold grudges."

I barely managed to keep a straight face at his blatant lie. It was odd how used to this I'd become. We could die at any moment, yet I was fighting not to laugh at Adrian's, for the lack of a better word, buffoonery.

"And also, very luckily, I'm not my father. I do business in a different way, a new way. The only question here is, are you ready to adjust or not?"

"Adjust? ADJUST?", Samuel growled and several guns flew up to point directly at us in a blink of an eye, "You think I'm going to listen to this bullshit? You think I'm here to take orders from a kid?"

"It seems to me", Adrian started calmly as I unclipped the top of my holster, my fingers slipping over my gun fast, "That _you_ are the kid, the kid who doesn't want to take orders from a man because you're scared and, frankly, I don't need cowards. This meeting is over."

"You little-", Samuel began, but was cut off by Adrian's astonishingly fast movements.

Before the guns could even follow him he was out of his seat and right in front of Samuel's face. He pressed a blade I knew he kept hidden in his sleeve right against Samuel's neck, the skin around it instantly turning a shade pinker. I flew up as well, pointing my gun at the guy who I figured was in charge of the rest. Out of the corner of my eye I saw McCall moving towards us. I knew the rest of our detail wasn't far behind, but were they fast enough? Would it even matter if they were? Neither Adrian nor I had any way of protecting ourselves from a rain of bullets that could come our way any minute now.

"Please, give me a reason", Adrian spat out, pushing his weapon further until it began creating an angry red line, "Go ahead. Just be stupid enough to think that you or your band of imbeciles can walk out of here if I decide otherwise."

The music was loud despite the fact that we were separated from the rest of the club. Still, I knew there were safeties clicking off on a few guns behind the wall our enemies had created out of their bodies just by the looks on their faces. We were no longer outnumbered it seemed.

"Put them down", Samuel squealed out, "PUT THEM DOWN."

His men backed away and took their aims off us. Adrian however stayed right where he was for a few agonizingly long moments. _Don't do it_ , I telepathically begged him, _just don't do it for the love of God._ Maybe he heard my prayers or simply saw reason himself, but after another deathly stare down with Samuel he flipped his knife in his hand and stashed it back where it belonged.

"I think it's time you _gentlemen_ left. Even you should know when you are not welcomed anymore", he commented, absentmindedly tugging on his waistcoat and smoothing his jacket down.

Samuel stood up abruptly and backed away with a furious expression. When he was out of Adrian's range he dared to push out: "You just declared war Ivashkov."

"Oh, haven't you heard? War started a while back and it looks to me like I'm the one winning", Adrian added as Samuel stormed away.

I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding and stored my gun away. McCall, who had followed our guests out, swore into my ear exhaustedly which only meant we were obviously out of the woods. I nervously ran a hand through my hair and glued my eyes to Adrian, waiting for him to look back at me. And when he did, he grinned easily and exclaimed: "Well that was fun, right?"

"Lord help me if somebody doesn't kill you soon, I will!", I huffed before I plopped back down.

"You know you couldn't live without me", Adrian teased, but as he did I felt a shiver run through my body.

"No, I really couldn't", I mumbled, my eyes falling to the ground.

He must have realized how his words resonated with me since I soon felt his hand clapping my shoulder and he prompted: "Cheer up cousin. You are no longer the man you used to be and you will never be him again. Besides, I'm not going anywhere. The party's just started."

 **POV: Rose**

"Whennnn are we doing this AGAIN?", Sydney exclaimed as she bumped her head against the seat in the back of the taxi we were sharing.

"We take her out once and she goes crazy", I mumbled to Lissa as she wiggled in Aarons lap so she could glance over at Sydney with a grin.

"I didn't… go crazy", Sydney mumbled between hiccups.

"She is so cute", Lissa giggled, earning a pissy look from Sydney or at least an attempt at such a look.

"I'm right he-re you, you know."

"Speaking of cute", I cut in, hugging Sydney and pulling her towards me, "Christian is very, very cute."

"Who's Christian?", Aaron asked, deciding to join the conversation.

"The bartender that gave us a few drinks on the house", I elaborated as Sydney leaned against my shoulder and mumbled something in the lines of _why is the car's roof spinning?_.

"I'm guessing the free drinks had something to do with this gorgeous dress", Lissa teased, pulling one of my straps playfully.

"No, it had to do with my fantastic personality and natural charm."

"He was staring at your boobs half of the night", Sydney blurted out while trying and failing to sit back up, "So unless they contain that natural charm-."

"I got his number", I victoriously announced, pulling out a piece of paper that he'd pushed into my hand before we left, "So whether it was my boobs or brains is irrelevant."

"Are you going to call him?", Aaron questioned from underneath Lissa's hair.

"Haven't decided", I shot back, pushing the slip back into my clutch.

The taxi eased to a stop which meant that it was time for me to get off. I basically had to roll over Sydney to get out and, while I was at it, I told Lissa to make sure that the drunkest part of our gang got home safely. I shouted "later bitches" before I shut the door and waved at them. I thought I heard Aaron protesting on my choice of words, but the car sped away and I was left to snicker to myself.

I took two steps at a time as I made my way to my apartment. I should have been exhausted after staying up this late, consuming a fair amount of alcohol and dancing for the better part of the night, but for some reason I felt exhilarated. Maybe it was because, at least for one night, I felt like my old self. When I opened my bag to get my keys I saw Christian's number staring back at me. _It wasn't about him_ , I thought to myself, _it was about it not being about Jesse._ Either way, the blue eyed bartender was someone I should thank for my stellar mood. _Perhaps I will, one of these days_.

I skipped my usual routine, deciding it'd be best if I didn't check for messages on my answering machine and risk hearing something I didn't want to. I stripped my clothes off and threw them around the place carelessly. Lissa used to give me such a hard time about my lack of tidiness when we were living together. And though I loved the freedom that being on your own brought, I sometimes really missed having her around despite her constant nagging.

I showered, took off my makeup and tied my hair in a messy bun before I strapped my sweatpants, T-shirt and a hoodie on. I grabbed my phone and headphones and then cracked open a window next to the fire escape and climbed out, sitting on the ledge. I used to do this all the time when I moved to the city. Sometimes Lissa or Sydney would join me if they were sleeping over, but mostly I was alone. I came from a small town where nights were deadly quiet and days were tranquil. Mom and I moved when I was halfway through elementary school, which was kind of a shock for a kid. Luckily, I'd met my two best friends on day one of my new school so I survived the change with minimum mental breakdowns. Mom never told me why she moved to the middle of nowhere when she had me and she never elaborated on why she moved back afterwards. I guess that was why I gave her the same courtesy when I packed my bags and took off as soon as I was old enough to do so.

I played around with my phone as music blasted from my buds, filling my ears. A few good songs passed before one reminded me of something or someone I'd rather forget. That was when I found myself glancing at the clutch I'd left on the coffee table. _Maybe I should text him tomorrow_ , I thought as I leaned against the brick wall behind me, _I mean, it's just a stupid flirtation. What could go wrong_?

 **POV: Adrian**

I strolled over the dancefloor feeling my shoes sticking to the remains of spilled drinks. They made an annoying crackly noise whenever I lifted my legs since there were no other sounds to fill the vast, empty place around me. As I approached the bar I saw Christian leaning over a ledger with the cap of the pen he was scribbling with sticking out of the corner of his lips. He glanced up when I neared him and mumbled: "Where is your Russian half?"

"Getting the car", I responded, plopping on a stool while watching him click the cap back on and dispose of the pen.

"Furrowed brow and a heavy sigh", Christian chuckled as I propped my head on my elbow and pinched the bridge of my nose, "Is the apocalypse nigh?"

"It's been a long day", I mumbled, gratefully accepting a glass of Bourbon he had knowingly prepared for me.

"Well, I know something that might cheer you up."

"You mean aside from the drink?"

He closed the ledger and pushed it away, leaning back on the counter behind him and crossing his arms on his chest. I waited for him to continue, but when he didn't I finally, in annoyance to the mysterious hints he was trying to give, asked: "And?"

"I served a very interesting woman tonight."

"I thought you did that every night", I commented, losing my attentiveness fast.

He ignored my sour mood and continued with a proud expression: "The most interesting thing about her though was her necklace. I have an eye for details, as you might have noticed, and I distinctly remember I served a drink to a man who had a ring with the exact same symbol on it a little less than three years ago."

I straightened up and fixed him with my eyes, giving him my undivided attention. He wasn't the only one with an eye for details. Also, I knew he wouldn't bring the topic up if he wasn't thinking of the same man I was. The man I last saw when my father died and he came to express his condolences. The third year anniversary of my father's death was right around the corner, so it wasn't hard to pinpoint what Christian was talking about.

"And?", I asked this time with more vigour.

"I gave her my number."

"You think she'll call?", I wondered as he unknotted his arms and placed them on the bar.

"She'll call", he replied confidently.

"And if she doesn't?"

"I ordered her and her friends a cab since they asked so nicely", he said with a dose of mischievousness in his voice, "I know the driver and he owes me one."

"Good", I praised him, offering up a wide smile, "I'd very much like to meet this mysterious woman with such an eye-catching necklace."

"I had a feeling you would."

* * *

 **Here it is, as promised, my weekly update (how obvious is it that I'm proud of myself for such a ridiculous achievement? XD)! Thanks for all the follows and reviews, they made me very happy! I hope this chapter was fun and I hope I'll "see" y'all next week for chapter three!**

 **P.S. I don't know if this is something you managed to pick up from subtle hints so far, but in this story Rose is not a teenager, but a young woman! Her friends already finished college so you can tell they are all older than they are in VA! Also I bumped Adrian's and Dimitri's age too!**

 **P.P.S. To Peggy (the guest reviewer): I hope this chapter gives you the answers to your questions, but just to clarify, if you go back to chapter 1 you'll see the 'four months ago' line that was used to indicate the story that you are reading is going back to all the things that happened before that first scene where Adrian, Dimitri and Rose are together! So here the boys don't know Rose yet!**

 **Songs: Five More Hours - Deorro & Chris Brown, My Wicked Bones - Nick Nolan**

* * *

 **Translations:**

 **За тебя = (Here's) To you!**

 **За нас = To us!**

 ***I read multiple times that "На здоровье", a phrase that people often use, is INCORRECT and not used as a way of saying cheers! You are welcome fellow none natives!**


	3. CH3 - The Boy and his Batman

**POV: Adrian**

" _Darling, hurry up or we'll be late", she sang from the hallway as I ran around my room opening drawers and lifting everything I could to find my action figure._

" _One more minute", I shouted as I desperately glanced around for any signs of a black cape that hung from my companion's back, "I can't find him."_

" _Oh, Adrian", she chuckled, the melodic sound echoing off the house walls, "I'll wait for you and Batman in the car then. Just be quick."_

 _I nodded even though she couldn't see me and decided there was only one place left to look. I ducked down quickly, crawling towards my bed as carefully as I could so I wouldn't ruin my clothes. They were freshly washed and ironed to perfection and I'd be in a lot of trouble if I messed that up._

" _There you are", I huffed in relief as I picked him up, adjusting his cape before jumping to my feet and hurrying out of the room._

 _I slid through the hallway and ran down the stairs, the thumping of my feet filling the silence. I was on the last step when a sound much louder than the ones I had created cracked through the tranquil twilight. I froze up, lifting my gaze towards the entrance that was left open for me. Two more bangs followed while my body moved on its own accord and brought me to the porch._

 _A black car speed away from our driveway, its tires screeching hard enough to make me cringe as I breathed in the warm summer air. I turned to our car, expecting to get chastised for dragging my feet and that was when I saw her. She was sprawled over the lawn, her white dress dirtied by the grass and mud and her chest heaving hard._

" _Mom?", I voiced, racing towards her, "What are you doing?"_

 _No response came and by the time I reached her I noticed something else on her dress - a red stain that seemed to be spreading by each passing second. She looked up at me, her eyes shining with tears and she lifted her hand towards me._

" _Mom?", I breathed out in fear, falling onto my knees next to her, "Mom, what-?"_

" _Shhh", she pushed out, grabbing my hand and squeezing it tightly, "It'll be okay. Mommy is just resting a bit."_

" _But we'll be late", I whispered as her other hand shakily lifted and caressed my cheek._

" _Ye-yes we will", she stammered, coughing sharply as I wiggled closer to her, "But it doesn't matter. What matters is that you found Batman. He'll keep you safe. He'll always keep you safe."_

"You didn't hear a word I just said, did you?", Dimitri huffed as he hit my leg with his foot to get my attention.

"Hmm?"

I dragged my eyes away from the window and wiggled in my seat. I glanced over at him as he rolled his eyes and ran his hand down the side of his duster because God forbid it had one wrinkle on it. _It was his cape I guess,_ my mind prompted as I leaned towards him and patted his knee.

"Sorry, you were saying?"

"You've been awfully distracted lately, you know", he commented, ignoring my attempt to rejoin the conversation I had abandoned while going to that dark place I sometimes couldn't escape. Some nightmares were hard to keep away even when you were wide awake.

"I'm not distracted, I just have a lot on my mind."

"Well, that's just a fancier way of saying the exact same thing I just did", he retorted, but his eyes softened up a little.

"Tell me again what you were saying earlier", I tried and upon seeing his unwavering displeased expression added, "Don't make me beg."

He watched me patiently for a few moments, probably pondering on whether he should let it slide this time, before finally settling for a compromise on his own wishes: "Fine, but don't think this talk won't happen, because it will. What I said was that McCall and I had agreed on getting new recruits. He has a few candidates for me to talk to this evening so I asked you if you wanted to be there or if you wanted me to pick them on my own."

"I trust your judgement", I simply responded, because that was the truth and also because I had something else to dedicate my time to.

"Fine."

The car eased to a stop and I picked up my hat from the seat next to me, flipping it onto my head and gingerly pushing it down. Dimitri was the first one to exit, swiftly scanning the surroundings even though I was pretty certain this was one of the safest places to be at on any given day. I hopped out and checked my reflection on the window.

"You look fine", Dimitri commented as he tried to rush me along. He hated it when we were out in the open, no matter where we were and what time it was.

"I always look fine, but now I need to look perfect", I chuckled, hearing him grumble into his chin in annoyance.

We rounded the car and I glanced up the shiny walls of the mansion that gloriously stood in front of us. I took a deep breath and suddenly felt more at home than I had in a long time. Roses were in full bloom, their intoxicating, sweet scent filling the air around us. _Mom loved roses._

"Shall we?", McCall spoke up as he neared us, the car he was riding in drove away along with my limo.

"I don't see why not", I replied, clearing my throat and heading towards the large, marble stairway.

The front door opened just as I reached the top with Dimitri and McCall right behind me. Anton bowed slightly as I stepped inside and offered up a polite smile. He must have been at least seventy, though it felt like he was seven hundred years old instead. He didn't look that old of course, quite contrary. There was a surprising amount of vigor in his movements and his posture was straighter than mine, but Anton Ionesco had been working as the household's butler ever since I could remember. He used to sneak me into the kitchen long past my bedtime for some hot milk and cookies when I came to live here. He'd take me to the servant's house on the edge of the estate because one man had a dog I loved playing with. He was one of the rare people who showed me nothing but kindness and attention. He felt like a grandfather to me, especially because I never got to meet mine.

"Master Ivashkov", he greeted me, sticking to well practiced rules despite my constant insisting on him dropping the formalities.

"Anton, it is good to see you", I responded as I gripped his shoulder, squeezing it slightly before tapping it gently a few times, "And it's Adrian, you know that."

"Adrian is still a little boy in my head", he guffawed, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening as his smile became genuine and wide, "And you are a grown man."

"He is still a boy when he is in this house", a voice joined in as I twirled around and saw a woman in a flowery, purple and blue dress with a thin white belt moving towards me, "My favorite great nephew."

"Aunt Tatiana."

She wrapped her arms around me and I hugged her back tightly, knowing she was strong enough to handle a bone-crushing hug. We stood like that for a few moments before she pulled back and tapped her long, thin fingers on my hat, commanding: "Take this thing off. I don't know why you insist on hiding that pretty face underneath it."

"I'm afraid mere mortals wouldn't be able to handle such unearthly beauty", I joked, hearing Dimitri's low sneer behind me.

Tatiana shook her head and softly laughed, moving aside to glance at my entourage. They both straightened up in an instant, nodding to her and murmuring: "Ma'am."

It was odd to me that people still viewed her as someone who was to be feared. Sure, Tati was not a sensitive and gentle damsel, but I always saw her in a very different light than others did. Perhaps it was because she took the role of my parent when mom was killed and my father was too busy with work to care for me much. Not that he would have cared either way. Still, I was well aware that she was a force to be reckoned with. She had to be ruthless and scary, that was the only way she could make it in our world, the only way anyone could make it in our world. She did, after all, build everything that I inherited and quite the empire it was.

"Dimitri, Kit. It's always good to see you both. Come", she said gesturing towards the back, "I had a table set up in the garden. It's such a lovely day."

We followed her out, but not before she made me dispose of my hat. Dimitri and McCall already knew they'd be asked to sit down so they didn't bothered waiting. We settled around the table that was filled with all sorts of snacks and an old, ceramic teapot that Tatiana loved. Torrie, the housekeeper, showed up and, unlike Anton, dropped the pleasantries immediately, leaning over to give me an audible kiss on the top of my head before she poured the tea for us.

"How are things?", Tatiana asked as I reached for the flask stashed inside my jacket, adding its contents to my tea, which made her continue with, "That well?"

"Things are good", I reassured her, throwing on a carefree expression.

"You could have fooled me", she humorlessly laughed, picking up her cup and extending it to me so I'd spike her drink as well, "Just because I'm _retired_ it doesn't mean I don't keep in touch. I've heard you fell out with Samuel."

"Wow, word really travels fast. You think I made a mistake?"

"Not at all", she exclaimed, getting comfortable in her bowl chair, "I think it was past time somebody put that blabbering nuisance in his place. You don't need a man like him. I kept telling your father that, but he wouldn't listen as usual."

"My father listened to no one."

"You don't either", she pointed out with a challenging expression, "But you have more wits than he did at least."

McCall choked on his tea and Dimitri tried to hide a small smile that crossed his face at Tatiana's words. I believed she was Dimitri's favorite Ivashkov, not that he really liked any of the others. He valued her honesty and her unnerving ability to shame the living hell out of anyone who she'd set her eyes on. She was for sure one of the people who could leave even the most talkative people speechless if she wanted to. Dimitri admired her a great deal. I did too.

Torrie reappeared in that moment, a worried look on her face and as Tati glanced at her, she stammered out: "H-he called, again."

"That insufferable man just won't quit", Tatiana huffed in annoyance, "Tell him I'm busy."

"I did ma'am. He said you've been busy for a week and that he is tired of waiting."

"Just hang up", Tatiana instructed, rubbing her temple like the very thought of whoever was disturbing her gave her a headache. That made me react.

"Is there a problem I need to deal with?", I asked, narrowing my eyes at her as Torrie hurried away.

"No, Dear. I can deal with my problems on my own. I'm not that out of the game", she replied with a small smile, but she still looked troubled, "Especially, when that problem is my own flesh and blood."

"Nicolae?", I asked, instantly thinking of my great uncle.

"Ignat, actually. His father is apparently too old to pick up the phone and call his sister. Did you know that Diana got engaged?"

"Oh", I voiced, seeing Dimitri frown out of the corner of my eye. He knew damn well I had no love for most of my family, especially Ignat and his son and daughter - Ion and Diana. My little cousin Daniel was the only one I actually liked, but he was still an innocent kid, who unlike his older siblings had no desire to knock me of the "throne".

"Yes, some poor bastard named Wesley."

"Wesley Drozdov?"

"Do you know him?"

"We've met", I bitterly pushed out and took a generous gulp of the spiked tea, "So, what does Ignat want?"

"The usual, trying to talk me into helping him give his son a part of the family legacy. What a lot of nonsense. Ion wouldn't know how to run a business even if he had a manual for dummies. I swear Darling, you are the only one in this whole family who actually seems like his related to me."

"Why thank you, Tati", I chuckled, but still felt a knot in my stomach tightening.

I turned to look at Dimitri and he read the silent request from my eyes instantly. He stood up, making McCall twitch and jump to his feet as well. They excused themselves and wandered away, leaving Tatiana and me alone. She waited until they were out of sight and then questioned: "What's on your mind Adrian?"

"I wanted to talk to you about a man you once knew. There are some interesting rumors about him that might turn out to be true. I'd like your insight on the matter", I elegantly eased into the topic that had been on my mind ever since I talked to Christian about the mysterious woman he had met.

"Well, go on then. I'm all ears."

 **POV: Dimitri**

McCall gave me some space, taking off to hang out with the drivers as I made my way to the servant's house. I greeted a few people who bustled around the yard and they all politely nodded or waved back before scurrying away. I knew Adrian wanted some alone time with his aunt and though I was certain he'd fill me in on his potential findings later, I knew he didn't want McCall to know such details. He would trust him with his life, but not with his thoughts and plans. Adrian had odd priorities. I'd learned over time that there were very few people on this planet who he had complete faith in. I was one of the lucky ones.

I made my way to the second floor of the smaller house and stopped when I reached the third door on the left. I knocked softly on it, but it was enough to alert the person hidden within the walls behind it. Feet quickly shuffled over the floor and the door swung open to let out a woman with short raven hair and crystal blue eyes.

"Dimitri", she breathed out in surprise as she looked up at me.

"Natasha", I said, my lips tugging into a small smile.

She quickly peered down the hallway and, when she was satisfied with the lack of witnesses to our meeting, grabbed my hand and tugged me inside. Her lips crushed against mine as soon as the door closed and we fell back onto the wooden surface. Her fingers expertly dug under my duster and pushed it off as she muttered between the brief moments our lips parted: "I. Did not. Expect you."

I pushed her back and carefully took off my weaponry while she fumbled with the buttons of her dress. I reached for her before she managed to loosen up the third one and nudged her hands away. I kissed her lips, her cheek and her neck as I continued from where she'd left off. She gasped as I bit her neck playfully and mumbled against it: "It was a last minute arrangement, but I thought you might be pleased to see me."

"V-very pleased", she whimpered as my tongue and lips found their way to her breasts, kissing the newly exposed skin after each button I'd unfastened.

When the dress fell to the ground, I hooked my arms under her thighs and lifted her up, crossing the short distance to the cupboard next to her bed. The bed made too much noise which was the reason she avoided it at all costs. This wasn't the first time I had visited her here so I knew the drill. She didn't mind making noise by hastily knocking everything off the cupboard before I set her down on it though. She grabbed the hem of my shirt and lifted it harshly so I had to let go of her to allow her to pull it over my head. She threw it in an unknown direction and used my belt buckle to pull me back towards her.

"In the drawer", she breathed out, even though I knew exactly what to look for and where to look for it.

She lifted her legs up, wrapping them around my waist to allow me free access to the drawer underneath her and while I pulled it open she unbuckled my belt and loosened up my jeans so that they slipped down to expose my boxers. I ripped the package of the condom open as she tugged the rest of my clothing down as far as she could.

"You are greedy", I chuckled as I rolled the condom on.

"I'm horny. There is a difference", she retorted before I leaned in and bit her lower lip.

"Well then I'm greedy", I breathed out against her lips before I positioned myself at her entrance and allowed her to impatiently pull me towards her with her legs.

I buried myself inside of her making us both gasp in relief. She dug her nails into my shoulders and kissed me fiercely, her warm breath filling my mouth. I placed my palm on the wall behind her to steady myself and gripped her hip to fix her in place. I pulled back just a little before I slowly plunged into her again, making her head fall back which forced her to abandoned her former activity of ravaging my mouth.

"Ugh, come on big guy. Do it like you mean it", she spat through gritted teeth, a wild spark dancing through her mesmerizing blue eyes.

"Your wish is my command", I teased her before I picked up the pace, making the cupboard repeatedly tap the wall.

She held onto me, whimpering into my ear which only made me hungrier for her. I let go of her hip and ran my hand up her body, wrapping it around her neck and tilting her head back to make her lips accessible. We fought for dominance, but in the end, like always, I won. It wasn't until she couldn't control her cries anymore that I'd slipped my palm over her lips and pushed her back into the wall, losing control myself. She could handle rough, I'd learned that by now, so I rammed into her mercilessly feeling a sheen of sweat forming on my forehead.

"Fuck, Dimitri", she moaned under my fingers as her walls began tightening around me.

I curled the palm I held on the wall into a fist and screwed my eyes shut, giving her all I had to push her over the edge. I followed suit, hitting the wall with my other palm in an attempt to stop myself from vocalising my release. We stayed almost motionless for a few moments. If it wasn't for our heaving chests we would have been completely still. In the end, my palm slipped away from her lips and I opened my eyes to meet hers as our foreheads touched.

"That was-", she began saying before a giggle escaped her, "Loud."

"It could have been worse", I chuckled, picking her up and lifting her to twirl her over to the bed. She laughed as we tumbled onto the sheets and rolled me over to my back before cuddling up to me.

"How much time do we have?", she asked as I ran my hand through my hair and glanced at my watch.

"Not much", I replied earning a pout from her, "Adrian has a meeting in half an hour and I have other work to do."

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to visit me on your day off", she prompted as she absentmindedly began running her fingers over my chest.

"I don't have days off."

"Dimka, you work too hard."

"It's not that bad", I automatically replied, but the truth was I did miss having some time for myself. If I did, I probably would have visited my family instead of talking to them over the phone for no longer than five minutes every now and then.

Speaking of family, it was as if Tasha had read my mind since she suddenly asked: "How is my nephew?"

"He is fitting in great."

"He's not doing anything that could get him in trouble, is he?", she questioned, her brow furrowing in concern.

"Don't worry Tasha. I'm keeping my eye on him."

"I know you are", she happily said, the frown disappearing as fast as it came, "You are a good friend Dimka, to the both of us."

I smiled down at her and picked up a strand of her hair to twirl around my finger. I was about to ask her what she'd been up to when my phone rang, the sound cracking through the relative silence around us.

"Shit", I mumbled while I sat up to grab it, "I have to go."

"Already?", Tasha cried in disappointment.

"Sorry."

"Ah, don't worry Dimitri. I know how this works. I don't expect anything from you. It'd be nice if you picked up the phone every once in a while though."

"I will", I said, but wouldn't dare call it a promise since I was fairly certain I wouldn't get to keep it. And I was not the one to break my promises.

She let me get up and pulled on a robe as I dressed in a hurry. She watched me with amusement as I fastened my holster back on and gave me a chaste kiss before whispering: "See you around."

"Sure", I replied and then I was off.

When I made it to the cars, McCall was already waiting in the one behind ours and Adrian was casually leaning against the limo, a cigarette hanging from his lips. A devilish grin spread over his face as I approached him and, as he slowly blew out a cloud of smoke, he prompted: "Did you have fun?"

"I don't know what you are talking about", I shot back, pretending to be completely clueless.

"Sure you do", he chuckled as he stomped out his cigarette and opened the door before glancing back at me under the shadow of his hat and adding, "You forgot your zipper."

I couldn't stop myself from blushing, but luckily he was busy ducking inside to notice. I fixed my pants and followed him, avoiding his self-satisfied smirk. He waited for the car to start moving before he pushed his hat back and casually started: "Sooo, I found out something very interesting-."

 **POV: Rose**

I drummed my fingers on the counter to the rhythm of the song coming from the speaker above my head. I had a big order so it was taking Mark forever to finish it. When he placed the drinks on my tray, he gave me a sheepish smile and huffed: "I'm getting too old for this shit, kiddo."

"What?", I exclaimed wide-eyed, pretending to be shocked by his statement, "You are at the peek of your youth my friend."

"Your fake compliments are the reason I hired you", he chuckled as I carefully lifted the tray and spun around to take the drinks to the group sitting in the furthest corner of the bar.

"You hired me because I'm the only one who is willing to listen to your complaining aside from Oksana", I cast over my shoulder, hearing his deep laugh follow me as I walked away.

Tonight was a pretty busy night so it was no wonder my legs felt sore. _I really need to start going to a gym_ , I admonished myself as I placed the drinks down. I mumbled "enjoy" before I made my way back and grabbed a few peanuts from the bowl on the bar. I snatched my phone out of the pocket of my jeans and glanced at the screen for the millionth time. Perhaps texting Christian was not such a good idea after all.

"Who's giving you that worried frown?", Mark asked as he washed the dishes.

"I'm giving it to myself. It's important to give yourself gifts from time to time", I joked, pushing the phone back in its place and leaning on my elbows so I'd take some of the weight off my numb feet.

"Tell me it's not some boy", he continued, ignoring my attempts at a subject change.

"It's not some boy", I parroted as the door opened to let in a new customer.

I took a sip of my soda and turned around to see a man, maybe a few years older than me, strolling inside casually while flipping his hat off his head. He looked completely out of place since, unlike most of the regulars and a few newbies, he was dressed like he was going to some fancy dinner party or a charity event of some sort. He really took it over the top between the matching jacket and waistcoat, a pristine white shirt and dark pants that were all a perfect fit. But it was the details too. The thin, elegant tie that was clipped by a shiny, engraved bar. The hat that looked really good on him, but looked even better off since it made room for his perfectly styled hair and gorgeous face. The shiny, red cufflinks peeked from underneath his sleeves whenever he moved his arms. He was quite a sight.

He made his way to the bar and slid on the stool very close to me, placing his hat next to a cigarette case he'd produced out of his pocket. I was too busy staring at the perfect lines of his face and his hypnotic green eyes to remember that I was actually working. Mark asked him what he wanted and he ordered a glass of some whiskey before he elegantly pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He twirled it around his fingers while he waited for his drink as I finally got myself to blink and move from the paralyzed state I was in.

I forced myself to walk away from him, grabbing a few ashtrays to replace the ones that were already filled. Mark was very generous with the whole "smoking allowed" motto. I think he mostly did it because the majority of our usual customers smoked like chimneys and he didn't give two shits about rules anyway.

By the time I came back, Mark had disappeared into the back room and the guy eyed me shamelessly as I took my usual seat. He smiled at me with one of those bad boys smiles I used to be unable to resist when I was younger. Not that I built up much restraint since then if I was being honest. He hadn't touched his glass in the meantime so I found myself asking: "Is something wrong with the drink?"

"No, it's quite alright", he responded in a lulling voice, "I just don't like drinking alone."

"Perhaps you should have brought a friend then", I spoke up, my mouth running faster than my thoughts as usual. _Really, Rose? Really?_

"Fair point", he chuckled, luckily not taking offense at my rude remark.

I felt bad for what I'd said so I lifted my can and leaned over to clink his glass. He picked it up and drank with me, his smile becoming more charming if that was even possible at this point.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

"Any chance I could get your name? I'd like to know who I'm drinking with. Even if the lovely lady is doing it out of pity."

"I'm not doing it out of pity", I quickly protested, "And it's Rose."

"Rose. It is very nice to meet you", he said, extending his hand to me, "I'm Adrian Ivashkov."

At first I just nodded to his words and then they actually began sinking in which was why I was quick to exclaim: "Wait… Ivashkov? As in the owner of The Academy Ivashkov?"

"The one and only."

"I was there last night."

"Oh", he voiced in surprise, his eyebrow shooting up, "What a coincidence. I hope you had a good time."

"I had a great time. Your club is fantastic."

"I'm glad you think so, Rose", he said, my name rolling off his tongue in a way that made it sound more like a compliment than just a simple name like any other.

"Hey, can we get another round?", some guy yelled from behind me, interrupting my conversation with Adrian.

I got up and smiled at him as he brought his glass to his lips again and shook the ash of his cigarette. I walked around the bar, feeling his eyes on my back as I purposefully swayed my hips enough to draw attention. It was only fair that I fought fire with fire. This guy was at the top of his game and I was not going to let him outplay me. I poured three glasses of beer as a shiver worked its way up and down my body from the piercing emerald gaze stuck to me. _Don't look up Rose! Play it cool_ , I warned myself, picking up my tray and pilling the drinks on it.

By the time I was done with my other customers Adrian got up and took a hefty amount of bills from his wallet, way more than his drink cost. He placed it on the empty spot that was left after he picked up his hat. He finished of his drink in one swing and took my hand like he was meaning to shake it, but instead placed a feather-like kiss on top of it, a gesture straight out of some old-school british novel.

"It was a pleasure meeting you Rose. I hope I'll see you around. If you are ever at my club again, just tell the guys at the bar your drinks are on me."

"Thanks. That's very, um… generous", I responded a little smitten.

"Generosity has nothing to do with it", he mumbled, but maintained the dazzling smile as he walked away.

I watched him go. Actually, I was left staring at the door even when he was long gone. God knows how long I would have stood there if my phone didn't beep from my pocket, announcing a new message. I pulled it out absentmindedly and almost dropped it when I saw who the message was from.

 _Tomorrow night, 9 o'clock, I'll pick you up? Drinks are on me! ;) - Mister Christian_

At the rate I was going, it seemed like I was going to have drinks on everyone for the rest of my life. I stared at my phone for a few moments, my thoughts for some reason slipping back to Adrian. _He was just some random guy you might not even see again,_ I yelled at myself as my fingers danced above the screen, _You wanted to give Christian a chance, didn't you?_ Finally, with a sigh I texted him my address and then quickly sent another message to Lissa before I could change my mind.

 _I'm gonna have to skip tacos night tomorrow! :/ I have a date with the cute bartender!_

That woman lived with her phone attached to her hand so I wasn't surprised when she replied instantly.

 _Tacos are boring anyway... Go get some. :P_

I simpered into my chin and quickly wrote _Ily!_ before I hauled my ass back to work. Mark reappeared again and studied my face before asking: "Another gift from you to you? I can see your mood has improved."

"Something like that", I replied, grinning like a teenage girl.

* * *

 **HANG ON NOW! I did say this was ultimately a Romitri shipping story, right? I also did mention it might take them a while to get together and a few bumps to deal with in the meantime! This is an extreme slow-burn, but I promise it'll be worth the wait! Also I would like to point out that I DO NOT intend to give Tasha the same role here as she had in VA! She won't be a jealous bitch that will create problems for Rose because I seriously always thought that Tasha had way more potential than that and I wanted her to stay one of the good guys! With all of that said, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! Please feel free to review and let me know your thoughts, oh and for those of you who have reviewed so far (this sadly doesn't include guests) check your PM's because I don't want you to think that I'm ignoring y'all! I very much appreciate the support! KISSES!**

 **Songs: Soldier - Fleurie, Part-time Lover - Stevie Wonder**


	4. CH4 - Desperate Men and Fake Dates

**POV: Dimitri**

"Ten? Really?", McCall snapped as I discarded another candidate, sighing heavily while I threw his documents in the trash.

"They are not good enough", I elaborated, watching his eyebrow surge towards his hairline.

"Well, you have very high standards pal."

"I do. And so does Adrian", I responded as I looked at the shrunken pile that contained only five more files, "We need good men."

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble Belikov, but good men don't usually run after shady jobs."

"You did", I contrasted, seeing him crack a smile.

"I'm not necessarily what one might call a good man. Besides, I was desperate."

"Weren't we all?", I mumbled, trying to keep my mind from straying and getting consumed in dark thoughts. It was a hard battle to fight at times.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say Adrian had a thing for lost causes", he laughed while I checked the name of the following candidate, "But I do know better, so I won't assume he has any particular sympathies for anyone of us."

"You're wrong", I defended Adrian, the well known reflex I couldn't shake off kicking in before I cleared my throat and shouted, "Bring him in."

The door opened to let in a tall, muscular guy with red hair that stuck up in every direction and a comically serious expression. I'd read that he was twenty five which made him the youngest among the men I'd interviewed so far. There was a dose of innocence in his face, the exact thing that made his attempt at the frown so poor. He had a good posture though, I could see it just by the way he was walking. He seemed very attentive too. Everyone who had applied had some serious fighting skills and condition, but the way he checked the room and scanned McCall and me made him stand out even more, right from the jump.

"Ashford-", I started before glancing back at his name on the paper in my hands, "Mason. Please, take a seat."

McCall's bored and sleepy face sparked up and I knew exactly why his interests got piqued so suddenly. This was the first guy whose full name I'd bothered to read. McCall was well aware that it was a huge step up.

"Mister Belikov, Mister McCall", he greeted formally before he took his seat, "Thank you for inviting me."

I wordlessly nodded, scanning his CV quickly before I looked up to his blue eyes and a mess of freckles underneath them. There was something about him that reminded me of a long lost friend. This spark of mischievousness that would at first make one think that he was nothing but trouble. Underneath though, he'd be a pure soul, good to his very core. Or maybe I was just imagining things because of the longing that came in waves from time to time. The feeling of that one person always missing. It was a hole that would never be filled, though I couldn't stop looking for him in everyone I met. I saw him in Adrian too, come to think of it. I guess that was why I found it easier to overlook the thing I didn't like about my cousin.

"Tell me, why do you want this position?", I asked, silently praying that he won't burst into a story of long desired glory, justice and use of his talents like most of the men before him.

"I need work, Sir."

"Why? Do you have a family to support? Girlfriend? Boyfriend? Pets? Old parents that need care?"

"None of the above", he replied, trying hard to suppress a smile, "I'm on my own. I wasn't really interested in relationships for a while. I'm allergic to cats and my landlord won't allow dogs. My folks moved to Australia and, luckily, they are in good health."

"So no close personal relationships?", I pressed as McCall leaned over and took the rest of the files.

"If you don't count my roommate and best friend Eddie, then no."

"Edison Castile?", McCall spoke up as he waved one of the remaining files in front of Mason's face.

"Yes, Sir."

"And is his, um, situation like yours?", McCall asked as I patiently waited.

"He has a girlfriend, but that's pretty much it."

"This will be quick", McCall mumbled to me as he stood up and shortly grinned, "I take it you won't need me. I'll go escorted everyone but Castile out. We said we'd hire two and now we found ourselves a package deal it seems."

I waited for McCall to leave and registered the slightly worried expression that creeped up to Ashford's face. His undivided attention was still on me though so I asked: "This job requires complete dedication. Is that something you can handle?"

"Yes, Sir."

"How about doing things that border with illegal?", I carefully spoke, trying not to alert him too much, but he seemed unconcerned by my words.

"Sir, may I be completely honest?", he asked and, as I nodded, continued with, "I used to steal cars and shoplift until Eddie taught me how to use computers to my "advantage". I'm not exactly a law abiding citizen and I have no problems doing whatever as long is it pays well. Neither does he. Plus, we hate our landlord, our apartment is straight out of a horror flick and we can't afford to live anywhere else."

He was exactly what we needed, I had concluded. It took a lot for someone to be ready to die for another or get their hands dirty enough to never be able to wash them clean. Someone with nothing to lose. Someone desperate. I guess McCall was right, we truly were desperate men. Just desperate on different levels and for different reasons.

 **POV: Adrian**

I was tense. Too fucking tense. Thea must have sensed it since she aborted her activities and looked up at me before purring: "How about you lean back and enjoy the ride?"

"Trust me Darling, I'm trying", I mumbled as I collapsed against my chair.

She stood up, dusting her knees off even though the floor was squeaky clean, as always. She turned to get her purse and soon enough she was handing me a joint. I gave her an amused expression to which she exclaimed: "What? It helps."

"Sure it does, but I have to work later."

"I'll take care of that too", she reassured me confidently.

 _Well, who was I to say no to vices_. She lit up the joint and handed it to me before she slowly dragged her fingers over my thighs, attentively rubbing my stiff muscles. I inhaled the smoke into my lungs as hard as they'd let me and kept my breath in until her lips wrapped around my shaft and her tongue followed them all the way down my length. She worked me for a long time, longer than usual since the comfortable haze kicked in fast. _This shit was strong_. At some point I became so focused on the choking sounds she made and the feel of her hair slipping through my fingers as I tried to maintain a grip on it, that I didn't even notice when Dimitri walked into my office. Bless his heart he walked himself out just as fast, patiently waiting for me to finish up.

When we were done, Thea got up and snatched a tissue from the box standing on my desk. She wiped her mouth and busied herself with something while I pulled my shit together and managed to tuck my shirt back in. By the time I grabbed the desk and rolled my chair to get closer, she tapped her creditcard on the table to shake of the extra residue and handed me a rolled bill.

"Twenty bucks?", I chuckled as she stood up from her position on the edge of my desk, "Well, this brings back childhood memories."

"Please, you were born with a stack of bills five times the value", she teased, picking her stuff up and walking towards the door, "I said I'd take care of things. I'm guessing you can do this without supervision. See ya around."

"Heyya, Sugar", she added as she surpassed Dimitri on her way out while I ducked down and finished off the line she'd neatly shaped for me.

I jerked my head back up out of a habit just in time to see Dimitri's more than usually pissed off expression. I rubbed my nose and sniffed, shooting him a look that screamed _don't start_ , but he did anyway: "I thought you were done with that shit."

"I am, but apparently it's not done with me", I laughed which only seemed to anger him further.

"Are you that eager to die or are you just that stupid?"

"What doesn't kill you cousin. What doesn't kill you", I mumbled, standing up and fixing the rest of my clothes.

"Adrian, you need to stop messing around like this. You are not a kid anymore", he argued, but he had picked a wrong day for it.

"And you NEED TO REMEMBER YOUR PLACE", I snapped, making him freeze mid-step.

He fell silent, his expression swiftly shifting to his well practiced stone mask and his eyes dropping to the ground. I didn't know if he acted in such a way intentionally, but it instantly made me regret my outburst. I searched for something to say. Apologizing didn't come easy to me, mostly because I wasn't used to doing it. Before I could say anything though, he spoke up in a flat voice: "You have two new men and the car is waiting for you, _Sir_."

"Don't", I breathed out, almost twitching at his words, "Please."

The magic word. It worked. He glanced up at me, his chocolate eyes warming despite his refusal to acknowledge my plea out loud. I sighed, pressing my fingers against my forehead and deciding he more than deserved for me to take the extra step.

"I'm sorry I said that. I didn't-."

"I know", he cut in, thankfully saving me from speaking any further, "Let's just go do what we'd planned... Adrian."

"Right", I mumbled, collecting my things and running a hand through my hair.

We walked down to the driveway in silence. It wasn't exactly an uncomfortable one, but it didn't please me either. I decided to patiently wait though, until we were safe and cut off from the world in the back of my limo before breaking it. Not that I exactly felt like talking though.

Sadly, it looked like this day was going to have more bumps on the road than I'd expected. As we stepped outside, I heard angry shouts making their way towards us the closer we got to the cars. I quickly recognized Alto's deep, grumbly voice hollering: "Let's get this straight _boy_. You are nothing here until you prove otherwise. You don't get to-."

"Ashford?", Dimitri spoke up, making the guy behind Alto move and come to stand beside him despite Alto's vexed expression.

"Sir", the guy said before his light eyes shot over to me and he added, "Mr. Ivashkov."

"What seems to be the problem, Alto?", Dimitri questioned as we came to a halt.

"This infant is trying to take my position", Alto retorted, his face turning a shade pinker.

"I know", Dimitri calmly replied, "I told him to."

"You told him to?", Alto exclaimed, making me think we should start worrying about him having a heart attack.

I studied the Ashford guy who looked more like a statue than a living being since he didn't even blink as he stared up ahead. There was another new face, standing close by, leaning towards him like he was getting ready to jump up and protect him from anyone and anything. They both looked younger than me and I figured those were the recruits Dimitri had mentioned. Alto was right about one thing. At this rate, I was going to have to open up a kindergarten. Still, if Dimitri had chosen them, he must have done it for a reason so I found myself joining the conversation I'd usually ignore until Dimitri had it handled: "Come now Stan, don't go around marking the territory. It's time we let some fresh blood test the waters."

Maybe Alto was ready to fight Dimitri since the two had been bumping heads from the moment they'd met, but he wasn't stupid enough to try the same with me. He stepped back and nodded, turning on his heel and walking away without another word.

"Ashford, is it?", I questioned making the red haired guy twitch and direct his attention at me.

"Yes, Mr. Ivashkov."

"And you are?", I addressed the sandy blond hair and hazel eyes behind him.

"Edison Castile."

"Well, welcome to the team boys. I assume you know what to do. Dimitri?"

Dimitri stayed back to say something to them and then quickly joined me, taking the seat left of me instead his usual one across from me. I figured he had his reasons. The driver turned the music on, Mozart being his choice. The damn man never got my mood right. I huffed and rolled my eyes at the partition which made Dimitri stand up, if a man as tall as him could even attempt such an action in a space like this, and knock on the partition. I sometimes wondered if they had agreed on some code or something since they always seemed to understand each other just by those silly knocks. Dimitri took out his phone and after a few moments piano tunes were replaced by guitar strings. I smiled at him gratefully and leaned forward, my hand twitching towards the mini-bar.

"Not that too", Dimitri almost ordered and, for a change, I listened.

I pulled the corner of my lips under my teeth, nervously picking at the skin there. The tension came back and it was coming off me in waves hard enough to have Dimitri switching from pissed to worried in a nanosecond.

"What is going on with you?"

"I... I don't know", I mumbled, glancing at my watch for the millionth time.

"Is it-", Dimitri carefully started, probably fearing I might burst into a yelling tantrum again, "Is it because of the anniversary?"

"Ha, which one?", I scoffed as I felt my insides flip.

"Both?"

"No, I don't think so. I mean, not more than usual."

"What then?"

I remained silent for a few moments, mulling over my sudden and accentuated mood swings for the past couple of days. Most of them Dimitri didn't have _the pleasure_ of witnessing. Like when I woke up from a nightmare and almost blew my damn head off with my own gun. Or when I pounded a girl into my mattress hard enough to actually have her trouble walking. And when I lost my shit and obliterated half of my bathroom. The funny thing was that what I found the worst was when my eyes kept tearing up no matter how much I tried to crack a smile. _Men don't cry in this family Adrian,_ my father's voice rang through my head making me shiver.

"I think I'm just-", I began saying before I realized what my next word was going to be and halted.

"Just what?", Dimitri prompted while I faced him and forced a smile on my face. _Scared._

"Never mind", I finished, taking out my phone and dialing my favorite bartender.

 **POV: Rose**

I rarely got anxious over dates. Actually, I was the one making my date's nerves thin out most of the time. However, it had been ages since I went out with someone other than Lissa and Sydney so it was no wonder I was a freaking wreck. I raced around my house like it was on fire, half of my closet's contents crammed on my bed or falling from its edges. I think I tried out a million combinations before I settled for a sundress that really did wonders for my curves and mid-length high heels. Not too fancy, but not too casual either. I did my makeup a little bolder, instantly feeling a boost in my confidence when I applied my favourite lipstick. Finally, I picked out an elegant silver necklace and reached to take my usual one off just as my alarm began screaming, notifying me that my time for getting ready was way past up since it was on its third snooze. The ringing dialled down once I received a message, probably from the cute someone who was waiting for me and most likely getting impatient.

"Shit, shit, shit", I mumbled, dropping everything and running for the door, barely remembering to grab my purse on the way out.

 _I should NOT be this late for my first date in ages_. I hated the stairs of my building even more than I usually did once I started descending down them, careful not to wind up twisting my ankle in the process. I was in such a rush that I basically slammed into the entrance before I janked it open. I instantly glanced around the street looking for anyone with black hair and blue eyes, but oddly the only thing I saw was an extravagant limo coming to a stop right in front of me. At first I ignored it even though it seemed weird that such a car would show up at a neighbourhood like this, tiptoeing to peek over it to the other side of the street just in case Christian got the address wrong. It wasn't until the back window of the vehicle rolled down and somebody leaned out of it, that I'd finally took notice of it again.

"My favorite waitress", a melodic voice flew my way as I looked down to face emerald green eyes.

"Adrian Ivashkov?", I blurted out, momentarily becoming dumbfounded, "What are you doing here?"

"Giving a ride to a beautiful woman it seems", he chuckled cracking his head to the side, "Hop in."

 _It wasn't a question_. That was the first thing I noticed. I shifted my weight from one foot to another, my eyes running over my surroundings again before I peeked at the phone in my hands. The message I'd heard earlier was actually from Sydney, not Christian. The second thing I noticed was another very posh car parking right behind the limo as I tried to hide my sudden nervousness by an easy smile while I pushed out: "Thanks for the offer, but I think my date wouldn't like to be stood up."

"I believe it's your date that's standing you up."

"Maybe so. That doesn't mean I'm going to simply go for rides with strangers. No matter how _charming_ they are."

"I'm not a stranger", he exclaimed theatrically, like he was gravely offended, "We drank together."

The third thing I noticed was that, for the first time ever, my street was completely lacking any passersby or cars that usually rumbled through it. I backed away slowly, peeping over my shoulder at my building's entrance. I slowly dropped my phone into my bag and wrapped my fingers around my keys, carefully pulling them out as I mumbled: "You know, um, it was nice seeing you and all, but-."

I dashed towards my building as my heart began to race, but I didn't even manage to push my keys into the lock before an arm wrapped around my body and over my arms. I opened my mouth to scream, but a hand clamped down on it making my cry for help muffled. I pushed against my attacker, but he effortlessly lifted me up, securing my back against his firm chest. I kicked up, but it was pointless since I was only hurting the air. He spun me around towards the opened door of the limo and tried pushing me in, but I dug my heels into the frame and fought as hard as I could to stop him.

"Really?", he huffed into my ear, the word coming off sharp, like it had an accent to it.

I kept mumbling into his palm and even attempted to bite him at some point before a tall, muscular blond guy joined him, grabbing my legs and pulling them shut so that they could toss me inside. As soon as I was no longer in an iron hold of my attacker I twirled around and tried getting out, but I was faced with a giant who followed me in. His dark, brown eyes fixed mine intensely as he grabbed my arm and manhandled me into a seat the furthest away from the door.

I would have made another attempt at an escape if I didn't hear a click that sounded a lot like a gun, coming from where Adrian was sitting. One look at him and I had to swallow hard as my guess turned out to be very precise. He placed the gun on the seat next to him and smiled at me like the situation was completely ordinary before he commented: "That was unnecessarily difficult. You could have just simply taken a seat on your own."

"Are you fucking kidding me?", I babbled before I could stop myself.

"Очаровательная дама", the other guy scoffed to which Adrian laughed: "Дать ей шанс!"

 _Russians, really? Could this be more cliche?_ , I thought as they turned to both look at me.

"Drink?", Adrian offered to which I crossed my arms over my chest like a child in protest, "Suit yourself."

"What do you want?", I spat out, trying not to think about the tip of what looked like a knife sticking out of a holster that was attached to the giant Russian's thigh. Oh, and his and Adrian's gun while I was at it.

"I wanted to have a chat."

"And a chat requires you stashing me into your car?"

"Well, you didn't leave us many options", he humorlessly laughed before his eyes left my face to be shamelessly pointed directly at my boobs.

"It's rude to stare at one's tits", I spoke up when the gawking continued for a few moments.

"I'm not staring at your, as you profoundly said _tits_ , not that they're not inviting", he elaborated as he flashed me an odd smile, "I'm staring at your necklace. Where did you get it?"

"You have a thing for jewelry?", I shot with a quirked eyebrow, "Maybe my tits aren't that inviting for you after all."

"You should really start thinking before you talk", he warned, but there was a dose of amusement in his voice, "You wouldn't want to offend the wrong person."

"Are you offended Mr. Ivashkov?"

"Not in the slightest. And no, I don't have a thing for jewelry, I just have a thing for that particular piece on your neck. So where did you get it?"

"It was a gift."

"From whom?

"Why do you care?", I asked, now getting seriously annoyed by his interrogation and the overall crap of a situation I'd found myself in.

I tried not to panic, but things really weren't looking good for me. All I knew about this guy was that he was a club owner and that he, if I remembered correctly from the insane amount of information Lissa sometimes piled on me and dug out from God only knows where, had a casino somewhere. And there were some rumors, also according to Lissa, that he was into some shady deals. Apparently, those rumors were more likely to be true than not, between what seemed like bodyguards and the weaponry.

"Don't you worry about that. I just do. Now answer the question."

I kept my lips shut and stared him down with defiance. He was not the boss of me. I didn't have to tell him shit. It wasn't like he was going to butcher me because of some stupid necklace. _Right?_ He shook his head and sighed, before he glanced at his goon and said: "Dimitri, will you please help the lady out?"

The big, tall and scary leaned over with lightning speed and gripped a fistful of my hair, tugging me towards him as he reached for what I had yet again correctly guessed to be a knife. I yelped as pain shot through my scalp and lost my balance, falling onto the floor of the limo knees first. When I saw the shiny metal glistening below the handle that he pulled up, I swallowed a gulp and peered up at Adrian who crossed his arms over his chest while he was obviously waiting for me to cave in. _Was my pride really worth my life?_ When the tip of the sharp knife pressed into my neck, just above the chain of my necklace, I began thinking that maybe they really were crazy enough to kill me over something as trivial as a stupid piece of jewellery.

"Alright, alright", I breathed out before Adrian's arm moved and he rose his palm to signal his, whatever he was to him, to stop, "It was a gift from my father. Or at least that's what my mother told me."

"He didn't give it to you in person?"

"No, I've never met him. Never had a chance. He died before I was born", I blurted out before the grip on my hair vanished and I fell forward onto my palms.

"Name?", Adrian said as he leaned towards me, his emerald eyes lining up with mine.

"What?"

"His name. What is his name?"

"Ibrahim Hathaway", I whispered, forcing myself not to jump up when his hand extended towards me.

"Ibrahim Hathaway", he repeated, his voice straining like he was attempting to stifle a laugh, "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

The hand he extended turned in a sort of a peace offering and I slowly placed mine in it, allowing him to help me up to my seat. I decided it'd be best if I did exactly what he wanted and prayed he would let me out of his car in one piece and alive.

"Так, слухи верны", Adrian mumbled to Dimitri with a spark of something I couldn't quite explaining shining in his eyes.

"Очевидно."

Just one of them was a Russian, I had concluded. Dimitri. It was obvious when they talked. How easily words rolled off Dimitri's tongue and how rough Adrian's accent sounded, like he was fighting to speak the language even though he obviously knew it well. I didn't have the same advantage so I couldn't even begin to guess what they were talking about even though I was pretty certain that it concerned me just by the looks they were giving me.

Adrian suddenly moved, bowing down to pick up my purse which I'd dropped in the process of battling to stay away from the confinement of these posh, leather seats. He turned it over in his hand, studying it like it was the most interesting thing he had seen before he opened it.

"Hey, don't you have any manners?", I exclaimed, not being able to stay quiet anymore, "I told you what you wanted so there is really no reason for you to dig through my personal belongings."

"I'm not digging", he argued as he reached inside with his thumb and index finger and pulled out my phone, throwing my bag into my lap, "See."

"What do you want with that?"

He responded by pressing the button that rolled down the window closest to him and hurling my phone out of the car which was currently driving through the industrial part of the suburbs.

"Dude, really?", I shouted, instinctively jumping from my seat which turned out to be a bad idea since I was roughly pushed back down by Dimitri.

"Be happy I let you keep the purse", Adrian commented nonchalantly despite my pissed off expression, "We can't have anyone tracking you to us now can we?"

 _Tracking_? That one little word made me press the panic button in a blink of an eye. _I was not getting out of this car at all, was I_? Or at least not as a free woman. I swallowed audibly which only seemed to amuse Adrian further. He gave me a little smirk as he added: "Don't look so worried Rose. If I wanted to hurt you, you'd be screaming in pain already. Just be a good little waitress, do as you're told and then all of this will go swimmingly."

"All of what?", I asked, my voice dropping a few octaves.

He ignored my question and instead opened the compartment under the minibar, taking out a black sack from it. Dimitri simultaneously produced a zip tie and I backed away to the furthest corner of the L shaped seat, shaking my head in panic.

"No, no, please. Look, I'll tell you whatever you want to know, just let me go", I babbled while Adrian gave Dimitri the sack and looked over at my trembling frame.

For a moment I thought I detected a glimpse of doubt and maybe even pity in Adrian's eyes, but he still didn't acknowledge my pleas which were becoming louder by the second even though I was sure nobody was going to hear them or care even if they did.

"Trust me, I really wish I didn't have to do this", I heard him mumble before Dimitri towered over me.

* * *

 **Tadaaam! Rose finally meets Dimitri and Adrian! I'm sure y'all were looking forward to it and I'm hoping you're as hyped as I am over the following chapters now that these three have collided! I know both Adrian and Dimitri seem a little OOC in this one, but keep in mind that their backgrounds and their relationship differ from VA! There is a lot more to the both of them that you're yet to find out! Anyhow, thanks for reading (I hope you had fun) and please, as always, feel free to let me know your thoughts in the reviews!**

 **Song: Sinister Kid - The Black Keys, Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N' Roses**

 **P.S. Inspired by one of the reviews on my previous chapter (by Glitzybenish) I've decided to do a little marketing and recommend one of my favourite lemony one-shots in existence! For anyone who want's their mind blown away by Dimitri/Adrian/Rose mix and a little special extra on that, check out Polyamory by megamorr! Trust me you won't regret it!**

* * *

 **Translations:**

 **Очаровательная дама. = Charming lady.**

 **Дать ей шанс. = Give her a chance.**

 **Так, слухи верны. = So, the rumours are true.**

 **Очевидно. = Obviously.**


	5. CH5 - Tattoos and locked Rooms

**POV: Dimitri**

I ran my fingers through my hair for the fifth time in the last ten minutes, realizing I obviously needed to cut it again. It grew faster than I thought humanly possible, especially at the top. Constantly battling to keep back pieces of it from my face was becoming rather annoying and something I found myself surprisingly unused to doing. After all, my hair was long enough to be held back by a tie for years before I trimmed it. I sometimes missed it, because I truly did like it longer, but this was more practical. It gave my enemies less to grab in close combat.

I absentmindedly rubbed the back of my neck before Ashford spoke up: "Does it have to be on the neck, Sir?"

"You don't have to call me Sir. Dimitri is just fine", I replied, cringing at how old he made me feel despite knowing he used the word to show his respect rather than point out our age difference, "And no, it doesn't have to be there. You can choose the spot. I suggest somewhere you could reveal it quickly though."

"Why, S-... Dimitri?"

"It could save your life", I elaborated which only seemed to confuse him further.

I ran my index finger over the jagged S tattoo that stretched out over the middle of my neck and added: "Sânge. It means blood in Romanian. This mark shows allegiance to the Ivashkov family, the promise of loyalty. It used to be worn only by the members of the family because... well, they were blood. That was before Adrian's great aunt decided to make adaptations when people outside of the family began working for them. It could save your life because many people out there know what it means and wouldn't dare take on the Ivashkovs."

"And those crosses? What are they?", Ashford asked, his eyes following the places where the S hugged the Xs that looked like four lightning bolts coming together at their tips.

"They mark each life you've taken."

As soon as those words left my lips he began counting the X's with such concentration that he winded up leaning into my personal space enough to make me slightly uncomfortable. His eyes flew fast over the symbols I once accidentally called молния. Adrian liked the name because he thought it sounded cool. It took me a while to decide to burst his bubble and tell him it simply meant lightning in Russian. I'd just described what I saw, not made up some special, new term. Still, for the lack of a better name, we both kept using that word. Ashford's face lost almost all color by the time his eyes found mine again and as Castile showed up he quickly muttered: "That's all, um, good to know."

"All done", Castile announced, stopping a few steps away from us.

"Did she behave?"

"She put up a fight, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. She's, however, making a mess of the place."

 _This woman was unnervingly stubborn, wasn't she_? I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by it though. Not really. _She had it in her blood after all_. And despite her slightly comical and utterly useless attempts to fight me earlier, I couldn't help but to admire her bravery. Most people would have been completely paralyzed by fear if they were in her shoes. But she prevaled, putting up resistance until the very end.

I was about to dismiss the two young men when Ashford finally decided to ask what I believed was eating at his brain for a while now: "She is not going to turn into an X on someone's neck, is she?"

I'd usually give the new guys a hard time when they started with the questioning, but I was tired and still had more work to focus my energy on. Also, I liked the guy so I shook my head and replied: "No."

 _Unless Adrian changes his mind_ , was what I should have added, but I'd decided they'd already had enough shocks for their first day on the job. I was honestly surprised they weren't already running for the hills. I was glad they didn't, because I'd hate for them to become those same marks Ashford was pestering me about.

"Go get some rest", I instructed as I headed towards Adrian's office.

The closer I got to it, the louder I could hear his yelling. I wondered what new catastrophe had arisen now and prepared myself to handle whatever was thrown my way. I knocked on the half-open door out of politeness, but didn't wait to be called in.

"Set up the meeting, I don't care what it takes", Adrian barked into the phone, his palm curling into a fist on the window frame as he leaned towards the glass, keeping his back turned to me, "I already have enough shit on my plate as it is."

There was a pause during which Adrian peered over his shoulder and signaled me to sit. I picked up a random bottle from his liquor cabinet and rolled the cap off, pressing the rim against my lips and letting the contents flow into my body as I took the seat intended for me.

"Wilket, get it done", was the last thing Adrian said before he hung up.

I waited for him to clue me in, but knew he needed to cool down first. I offered him the drink and he took a few liberal gulps, plopping down and unbuttoning his jacket while propping his legs on his desk. When he handed me the bottle back he finally huffed: "Ricci's burned down one of the pubs that's under our protection."

"They are retaliating for Samuel's mess", I concluded as Adrian's face twisted in rage even further.

"Yes. And now I need to make sure they understand that I'm no longer backing him."

"You think that'll be enough for them?"

"No", he chuckled bitterly, "I'll have to make an example out of someone just to prove my point."

"Or you could kill two birds with one stone without actually killing anyone", I suggested making his eyebrows dance in curiosity, "Show them you now have the advantage and that you are on your way to making new business relations."

"You mean use the waitress?"

"You were going to use her anyway. It just turned out that she can come in handy for more than one thing."

"That's actually not a bad idea", he admitted, lighting up a cigarette and thankfully remembering not to blow out the smoke directly at my face, "Wilket won't be able to set it up before next week, but there will be truce in the meantime. That gives us enough space to get her under control and make her useful."

"Don't worry, I can handle her."

"Hah", he voiced in amusement, "You like 'em wild, don't you?"

"Adrian", I warned which only made him laugh.

"Okay, okay. I didn't say anything. She is hot though and Tasha isn't around all the time."

My wide-eyed expression was sign enough that I was bewildered by his words. He knew about my recent activities at his aunt's estate just from my unzipped pants, but I had no idea he knew who I was seeing. It wasn't a hard guess, but still there were a few women that I could have been visiting there and I thought I'd hidden my affinities for the particular one well.

"Don't look so surprised", Adrian smirked, rolling his eyes at me, "I'm not blind or stupid. She is pretty, you've known her for a while and you did beg me to hire her nephew."

"I didn't beg", I protested proudly.

"But you insisted."

"He turned out to be a great asset, didn't he?", I argued to which Adrian rose his palms in defence.

"I never said I regretted hiring him. Still, even if it wasn't for all of that, gossip is one of the most entertaining things in my aunt's household. You do know that the rest of the staff heard you, right?"

"I'll go check on our new guest", I blurted out, jumping up when I realized Adrian was about to rain hell down on me with the teasing.

"Oh yes, Dimitri, YES", he moaned in a high-pitched voice, "Take me you stud."

I rushed out of his office, my cheeks burning up as his full-fledged laughter followed me down the hall. I was embarrassed despite his poor imitation and the fact that I was a grown man who could freely spend his time with whomever he wanted. Still, his laughter warmed my heart. I rarely heard it lately and I missed it. It made me remember the days when he had a lot less weight on his shoulders and when we both had a lot less blood on our hands. The days when the ticking clock wasn't so damn loud.

 **POV: Rose**

No knob. The door didn't have a fucking knob. How the hell was I supposed to even begin to think of a way to escape from a room on the second floor, with barred windows and no knob? I looked up at the ceiling and for a moment pondered if I could recreate a scene from a really bad action movie where I'd climb into the ventilation system and crawl my way to freedom. Yeah, that wasn't happening, even if could fit into such a small opening.

I had no weapons, not for the lack of trying though since I'd flipped the entire space around me upside down looking for anything I could use to defend myself when one of those scary dudes came back. There was nothing. Zip, zilch, nada. Just a perfectly made queen size bed, an elegant nightstand and a bathroom that only had towels and a soap besides the appliances. I even tried tugging the curtains down, hoping the metal pole that they hung on would fall along with them, but the damn thing wouldn't come off.

The two windows that looked out to a gigantic garden were not only barred, but sealed shut. Not that screaming from them would help since the only thing that could be seen in blurry contours behind that garden were woods. I was in the middle of fucking nowhere and the worst thing was that, by the time anyone figured out that I was missing, I could easily wind up as a corpse in some ditch somewhere.

I plopped down on the bed in dejection and glared at the heavy door opposite of me. The room must have been soundproofed since all I heard was my exhausted breathing echoing off the bare, beige walls. My feet were sore, so I took off my shoes and dug my toes into the fluffy carpet in front of the bed before sprawling over the sheets. I stared at the ceiling for what seemed like forever, thinking about the worst possible scenarios that the rest of my life would play out by. I was so consumed by it that I almost had a heart attack when the door opened.

I sat up harshly, my hair flying forward as Dimitri stepped inside and closed the door behind him. His face was flushed, his chocolate eyes glistening and his dark, untamed hair brushed his forehead before he ran his fingers through it and moved it to the side. My first assessment of him wasn't wrong, he was pretty gigantic. He wore a tight black shirt which made it obvious that he was all muscles underneath, admiration worthy muscles. Under different circumstances I would have ogled him all day long. However, given my situation, when he moved towards me I picked up one of my shoes and hurled it at him.

It hit his chest, bumping off and falling back onto the carpet with a soft tud. It didn't injure him, but it certainly shocked him enough to stop him from walking. He eyed it with amusement before his eyes shot up to me and his expression softened a little while he commented: "Aren't you a warrior."

"Bite me", I retorted boldly, because I figured things couldn't get much worse for me from this point on.

He advanced towards me so I picked up my other shoe, wielding it like a knife as I climbed on the bed barefooted. His lips were tugged into a small smile, since he was obviously rathered entertained by my behaviour. I had to admit I was acting ridiculous, but I had no idea what else to do. I was completely out of options. He stopped at the foot of the bed, crossing his arms over his chest before he patiently instructed: "Get down from there."

"I don't think so. Stay the hell away from me you, you-", I babbled, finding it difficult the pick just the right words to insult him.

"Get-", he began saying before I picked up a pillow and threw it at his face, which annoyed him enough to round the bed and get closer, "Please get off the bed or I'll take you off it."

"You can try", I challenged him, stepping back as he stretched over the bed.

Apparently, I wasn't quick enough for his insane reflexes since he managed to wrap his hand around my ankle and tug it. I lost my balance, falling onto my back which allowed him to drag me towards him. As soon as he was within my reach though, I hit him repeatedly with the heel of my shoe on every part of his body I could reach and I could reach plenty since he towered over me. He managed to catch both of my hands, gripping them tightly as a frown worked its way over his forehead. He glued one of my hands to the sheets next to my head and twisted the other hard enough to make me yelp and drop my improvised weapon. His legs pressed mine into the frame which made it impossible for me to try to kick him.

"You do know this is pointless?", he asked, his rough accent making his voice sound even deeper than what I'd heard so far.

"You really think I was going to make this easy for you, Comrade?"

"Comrade?", he repeated, his eyebrow shooting up in a perfect arch.

"Yeah, Comrade, you bloody Russian. Now get off or I'll start screaming."

"Go ahead", he challenged, using his tight grip on my wrists to pull me up so that he winded up a mere breath away from me, "If you think that will do you any good."

I honestly considered doing just that if nothing than to piss him off, but figured it'd be wiser to save my vocal cords in case I ever got a chance to find myself somewhere where I could actually cry for help and achieve something other than getting myself killed.

"Come on, stand up", he tried, lowering his tone probably with the intention of lulling me into some kind of false security.

"Why?"

"Because Mr. Ivashkov would like to have a word with you."

"Fuck him. And fuck you", I spat out angrily, making him lose what little patience he had left.

He moved suddenly, bowing down slightly so that he could pick me up. He tossed me over his shoulder and stood up as I frantically wiggled in his hold. His arm fixed my legs down, but I slammed my fists on his back as hard as I could while I yelled: "Put me down you damn giant! You-, you are not getting away with this. My friends will call the cops on your asses. My mother is a detective. She'll put you both in jail."

"Scary", he scoffed as he steadily walked out.

I gave up on hitting him since it clearly didn't affect him and instead tried grabbing onto anything I could along the way. It took him a while to rip me away from the doorcase when I dug my nails in and clung to it with all of my strength. He walked down the middle of the hallway I was ushered through when we'd arrived at this house, but that didn't stop me from managing to reach a few pictures and knocking down a vase that crashed loudly against the hardwood floor. I was creating quite a noise so I wasn't surprised when I heard a familiar voice shouting: "What the hell is going on?"

Dimitri let out a string of Russian before he reached his destination and plonked me down right next to Adrian who stood at a threshold of what I figured was some kind of an office. His eyes shot to the shattered pieces that were scattered around the path Dimitri carried me over before he turned to give me a scolding look and whined: "I really liked that vase. What on earth did it do to you?"

"It's what _you_ are doing to me that's bothering me."

"And what is it exactly that I'm doing to you?", he asked as Dimitri nudged me forward and shut the door behind us.

"Where do I start? You kidnapped me, you threw my phone away, your bodyguards keep manhandling me, you locked me up in a room and you won't tell me what the fuck you even want with me", I fummed, not being able to hold back any longer.

"I didn't kidnap you, I borrowed you-," Adrian began saying before I cut in.

"I'm not an object, I'm a human being. You can't borrow human beings, especially against their will."

"True", he admitted, pursing his lips like I'd just given him some complicated task to be solved, "But, I will let you go as soon as I get something I need you for. As for your phone, it'll be refunded and as for my men, they'll stop manhandling you as soon as you start acting properly."

"And what is it that you need me in order to get?"

"Why don't you sit down", he abruptly offered, ignoring my last question.

When he settled behind a heavy desk that was positioned in the center of the room and noticed I was still standing right where he had left me, he added: "Rose, don't be difficult. I'm sure your request not to be manhandled won't be granted if you refuse to cooperate."

I peered over my shoulder at Dimitri, seeing him tense like he was just waiting for Adrian to give out a command so I decided to play along and slowly walked over to the chair in front of the desk, gingerly sitting down as Adrian patiently watched me.

"Drink?"

"No. But an explanation or two would be nice."

"All in good time", Adrian deflected again which made it pretty clear he wasn't planning on telling me jack, "For now, I'd like to lay out some rules."

"Rules?"

"House rules", he added, liting up a cigarette.

Clove. That was the smell I'd sensed the first time I saw him. It wasn't what I'd call a great smell, but mixed with his strong cologne it had a pretty intoxicating effect. I couldn't quite figure out why. The sweet and spicy tone should have made me sick when combined with the sharp scent of the cologne, but somehow he made it all work. Actually, I was pretty sure he was the kind of guy who could make almost everything in his life work for him. _Well, everything except for me_.

"Sure, rule number one: you will let me go home. Like, now", I exclaimed, crossing my arms over my chest angrly.

"Nice try", he chuckled, clearly unfazed by my pissed expression, "But no. Rule number one is quite the opposite of what you've suggested. You are staying here, calmly, until I say it's time for you to leave."

"And if I don't follow that rule?"

"Oh you'll follow it", he said, his expression shifting in a blink of an eye into something that I could only describe as frightening, "Whether you want to or not. Don't let my politeness and my hospitality fool you. I can easily tie you up in the basement and gag you. But, instead, I suggest you follow my rules and sleep in a warm room, with a nice bed and no bondage. Unless bondage is something you are into."

He smiled at the end and his little tease didn't go unnoticed, but what also didn't go unnoticed was that he was clearly not joking about the basement and gagging part. I swallowed hard and braced myself before I asked something that had the proud and stubborn part of my ego crying in agony.

"What's rule number two?"

He just stared at me for a few moments with those mysterious emerald eyes before he smirked: "Attagirl."

 **POV: Sydney**

"You've been glaring at that phone all morning", Brayden commented as he slowed the car down to let some guy cross the street, "Is something wrong with it?"

"No, I just-, I'm waiting for Rose to respond."

"Did you get into a fight or something?", he prompted, a small frown crossing his forehead.

"We didn't fight, but she stopped replying to me all of a sudden an hour before her date last night and there hasn't been a blip from her ever since. I'm worried", I babbled as I sent her yet another _CALL ME_ message.

"Don't worry. I'm sure she is fine. She probably just forgot she had a phone. It wouldn't be the first time", he tried rationalizing things, but winded up only making it worse.

"Actually, it would be the first time. She always texts both Lissa and me when she gets home. ALWAYS."

"Sydney", Brayden huffed almost seeming annoyed by this conversation, "Rose is irresponsible. Irresponsible people tend to forget things even when they are a part of a routine."

"She is not irresponsible", I defended her, though I knew he was partially right. Rose didn't exactly have a good record for memorizing things.

"Right. Whatever you say", he responded as he turned left and headed towards the parking lot, "So have you picked out the cake?"

"The cake? Really?", I exploded, making him jump up and swerve the car a little, "My best friend could be kidnaped or dead and you want to talk about cake?"

"That's a tad bit dramatic. I told you I'm sure she is fine."

"Well, I'm not sure. I know you dislike her, but this is serious."

"I don't dislike her. I just don't particularly like her either. But if you are worried so much I can stop by her apartment and check on her after I'm done with today's trial. I'm sure she'll call you in the meantime though."

"Alright", I breathed out, feeling a bit of the tension that was filling me evaporate, "That would be very nice of you. Thank you."

"Don't worry about it", he reassured me as he parked and grabbed his briefcase from the backseat.

"Why is it that you don't particularly like Rose?", I prompted as soon as I joined him outside of the car.

I knew they weren't each other's favorite people, but lately him not liking her began bothering me more than it usually did. Maybe it was because he was bound to become a permanent part of my life pretty soon or maybe... well, it was possible that Rose's words stuck in my head more than I would've liked to admit. I wasn't exactly questioning my entire relationship because of what she had said, but there was this itch at the back of my head that I just couldn't scratch and I had to admit that I needed to get to the bottom of this problem. She was my best friend after all and if there was a way to fix their discord it was my duty to try it. Whenever I'd asked him about his opinion of Rose though, he avoided saying much so I was rather surprised to see he had decided to be honest about it today of all days.

"Because I think she is-", he started, his lips twisting the way they always did when he was trying to phrase something properly, "Inadequate."

"Inadequate? Inadequate for what?", I exclaimed, blushing when a few people who worked in our building peered over their shoulders at me as we neared the entrance.

"To be you friend. Honestly I think you outgrew her a long time ago."

I was completely speechless and most likely staring at him like an idiot, because he decided on elaborating further: "Sydney, she hardly has any education, she works as a waitress in the only bar where the owner is actually willing to tolerate her constant tardiness, she lives in a rented… well, I can't even call that thing an apartment. She can't take care of a tank with three fishes, let alone herself. All of her relationships so far have been disastrous. Plus she is still acting like she is sixteen."

He finished his last sentence just as the elevator pinged and opened, walking inside at ease while I stayed stuck to my spot gaping after him in shock. A coworker passed by me and said hello, but I couldn't bring myself to form any words, let alone a proper greeting.

"Darling, the elevator is about to close. What are you doing?", Brayden voiced as something finally boiled over inside of me and for the first time ever I felt really, really angry at him.

"I'm taking the stairs. And don't bother going to Rose's. I'll go there myself during lunch, which I obviously won't be eating with you", I blurted out before I turned on my heel and walked away.

Rose didn't call. Not during work and not even when it was lunchtime. She didn't call Lissa either. I checked, just in case she really did get angry at me for some reason that I wasn't made aware of and decided to ignore me. I made Lissa panic too, enough to have her sending Aaron over there immediately since he was the closest to Rose's place. She wasn't home. He rang the bell long enough to wake her up even if she was in a coma.

Her phone remained turned off. Lissa managed to convince more herself than me that she must have had a great date that winded up with her going over to the bartender's place and staying there for reruns today. That would be a rational explanation for her phone and her absence from home. I usually went for rational explanations. But this time I had a bad feeling. A really bad feeling. And that feeling only got worse when I went to her place myself. I didn't know what I was hoping to find that Aaron and Lissa hadn't already, but I even went as far as using my spare key to go inside. I think I half expected to find her passed out or dead, but neither scenarios happened. Sadly, that didn't make me feel almost any relief.

I walked around her apartment, trying not to cringe at the chaotic state she had left it in. I found her charger in a heap of clothes that were all over her bed. I clunge to that piece of cord as I continued going through the rest of the space. Finally, I sat down in the living room and breathed out unevenly. I pushed my hair behind my ears and pressed my fingers against my temple as I tried to collect my thoughts and figure out what I should do next. I could call Lissa, but that wouldn't help anyone. I could call Brayden, but then there was a chance I'd murder him if he told me to stop worrying again. I could call Rose's mom, but then Rose would choke me with the same stupid charger I was holding when she showed up. Or I could-.

I jumped to my feet and rushed towards the clutch that Rose wore on the night of my bachelorette party. _Please be here, please be here_ , I thought as I dug through the bag until my fingers managed to close around a little piece of paper. The bartender's phone number. I quickly typed it into my phone and dialed, holding my breath in as I did. It rang once, enough to get my hopes up before a recording played and notified me that the number was no longer in service.

"The hell?", I said out loud as I put my phone down.

I aimlessly turned around and glanced at the window. The sun was down, she was nowhere to be found and her date's number was useless. What the hell was I supposed to do? _Don't freak out Sydney_ ,I warned myself, _just don't freak out_. Suddenly, an idea popped into my head and I immediately dialed the only person who I was certain could at least try to help me. He didn't pick up at first which had me cursing IT geeks and their odd sleeping schedule. However, my luck decided to turn for the better at least just as I was about to hang up.

"Yo."

"Hey, Trey. I need a favour", I blurted out as I listened to the sound of a keyboard clicking in the background.

"Well, hello to you too stranger", he chuckled, the typing stopping abruptly, "What can I do for you?"

"Could you trace a phone for me?"

"Why?"

"Since when do you care about a why? You always brag about doing your work fast and not asking your _clients_ any questions."

"I don't ask shady dudes questions cause I actually want to live to see another day, but I'm asking you Miss Paralegal. You always do things by the books. Is this for some case or something?"

"No. It's personal", I mumbled and when he stayed silent added, "So will you help me out?"

"Will you tell me why?"

"Juarez", I warned impatiently.

"Fine", he cried out, "Just don't get into trouble, okay?"

"I'll try", I mumbled as the typing resumed.

"What's the number?"

* * *

 **Hey y'all! Soooo, yes Dimitri's hair is short (DON'T KILL ME)! When I wrote this chapter I realized I'd never mentioned it before, but this just shows that I chose Danila's picture with his usual hairstyle for the cover of the story on purpose! Also we've got ourselves a knew meaning behind their tattoos (it was a difficult one to come up with) and a character from BL joining us! I hope you liked all those little details and well the rest of the chapter while we're at it! Please review and let me know what you think and I'll see y'all next week! :***

 **Songs: Monsters - Ruelle, Hang 'em High - Nick Nolan**


	6. CH6 - The Businessman and the Officer

**POV: Rose**

I remembered I once watched one of those countless crime shows that were playing in loops on the TV. Forty eight hours was the typical waiting period before reporting someone missing. _"This is so misleading"_ , my mother had pointed out when she passed behind me one time in the middle of one of the episodes. She actually used that moment to lecture me on how it was never too early to report a missing person if you had a valid reason to believe that they were. Those forty eight hours were, in most cases, crucial for the investigation. _Did my friends realize I was gone_? _Oh Lord, did one of them call my mother_? Or maybe they hadn't no clue I was in trouble yet. That could quite frankly be the worst possible option. If no one was looking for me then I had little hopes of going back home.

I rolled around and fixed my eyes on the bars behind the window. I had no idea how long it had been exactly, but the sun was already rising which made this the second morning I'd spent in this place. After Adrian set the house rules he dismissed me like a teacher would a misbehaving student and Dimitri escorted me back to my _luxurious_ prison. I was given food, but I didn't touch it. I had a shower, but I refused to use it. I just waited around for God only knows what and dozed off every once in a while before I would jerk in panic, afraid to keep my eyes shut for too long.

By the time I was let out of the room again I was on the brink of hysteria from the lack of sleep and twitchy like I was all dosed up with drugs. This time I was escorted to the main floor and, to my surprise, my guard wasn't Dimitri. It was a cute red haired guy with a bit of a babyface. He made a much appreciated attempt to smile at me even though he was probably supposed to have some stone-hard poker face. He led me into a dining room and I instantly remembered The Academy.

There was a large crystal chandelier hanging over a massive wood table. The chairs around it had me thinking that it must feel like you were sitting on clouds when you used them. Taking in the rest of the space I'd realized Adrian was obviously very much into insanely opulent decorations and furniture. Even my prison room was fancy. But, as always, the most lavish thing around was the devil himself - dressed to impress, completely at ease in his seat at the head of the table, a cigarette stuck between his lips and a glass of hard liquor in his hand. I lingered at the threshold, eyeing him and the rich contents of the table that seemed like they were fresh out of the kitchen before he voiced: "Rose, please, come in."

I slowly moved towards him as he put out his cigarette and looked over to the door saying: "That'll be all."

I didn't turn around, but I knew that the guy that led me here disappeared in a blink, leaving Adrian and me alone. My eyes darted over the place again before I focused back on Adrian who was studying me in silence. I was starting to think he had a resting amused expression or perhaps I was more entertaining than I thought I was.

"Where is the brooding Russian?", I asked, finding it odd that, for the first time since I got tossed into Adrian's limo, Dimitri wasn't by his side.

"You miss him already?", he teased, wiggling his eyebrows, "Wow, he is way better with the ladies than I thought."

"Oh, yes, I just can't live without him", I mumbled while Adrian extended his hand towards a bowl of mashed potatoes in front of me.

"You must be starving. I heard you've refused to eat any of the food that was brought to you, so I thought you might feel more comfortable if you had company", he said, avoiding giving me an actual answer just as I expected.

 _He was pretty exceptional at omitting and evading things, wasn't he_? It must have been a trait he had picked up from time spent in police interrogations. I was pretty sure by now that he was on the wrong side of the law which probably resulted in a lot of questions asked by law enforcement and lawyers. However, he struck me as the kind of guy who didn't practice flat out lying... _much_. He didn't have to after all, not when he only spoke about the things that he wanted.

"Yeah, I'll be very comfortable getting poisoned while you watch."

"Poisoned? Oh, come now Rose. Why would I want to poison you?"

"I don't know Ivashkov. If I knew why you did any of the things you did I probably wouldn't even be here."

"Fair enough", he admitted, taking a spoonful of potatoes before plopping it into his plate, "But, I already told you that I need you, so it wouldn't be very logical for me to kill you then, would it?"

He grabbed his fork and stuffed a big chunk of food into his mouth. He let out an exaggerated _mmm_ before he swallowed and took the liberty of filling my plate, adding meat and a some salad onto the pile.

"I understand your lack of trust and I don't blame you for it. This is an unusual situation that you found yourself in and I haven't been very forthcoming about things which certainly only made things harder for you. However, I fully intend to rectify that", he spoke before he leaned back and began eating his lunch, "Dig in."

I quit fighting and just picked up my fork, feeling my mouth water now that I was closer to the food and could actually sense how delicious it smelled and see how wonderful it looked. It tasted even better. As I got through a few bites the double doors of the dining room opened and Dimitri walked in with someone. I almost choked when I saw who was by his side. As Christian's blue eyes met mine I found myself exclaiming: "Really? You kidnapped my date too?"

An odd look crossed Christian's face as he slowly approached Adrian, pausing briefly before he handed him a file and mumbled: "Here you go."

Embarrassingly, it took me a moment but I blamed it on the lack of sleep. I literally dropped my fork and stared at Christian wide-eyed when realization struck while I shouted: "You piece of shit! You helped him."

"Sorry Rose", he replied with a sheepish smile, "It's nothing personal."

"Oh, it's personal alright", I retorted, waving my knife at him.

"Easy with that thing", Adrian chuckled, evidently unconcerned by the fact that I could actually try to use silverware to attack someone, "Christian was just following orders."

"I don't care. You are fucked dude. Big time", I threatened, watching Christian's signature smirk reappear.

"Because you will do what exactly, _Marie_?", he challenged as I jumped to my feet.

Dimitri immediately reached for his gun, but Adrian was quicker. He grabbed my hand and tugged me back down, leaning over the corner of the table until his face was an inch away from mine. His eyes glided over my lips in a way that had me thinking he was just about to kiss them before they climbed up to my eyes and he whispered: "Don't be stupid... please."

I opened my mouth but no words came out. He had the unnerving ability to render me speechless. It must have been those damn eyes or just the fact that he was most likely a lunatic since his mood swings trumped even my explosive personality. He didn't take his eyes off me as he continued talking and, for a moment, I actually became a little turned on by that intense gaze. _The lack of sleep was definitely fucking me up_.

"I hope everything went well at the club while I was absent."

"Business is as usual", Christian confirmed, backing away like he was getting ready to bolt, "I'll leave the ledger in your office."

"You do that."

I didn't get a chance to insert another threat before Christian took off. I didn't even glimpse at Dimitri as he did the same. I remained hypnotised before Adrian finally blinked and a snicker escaped him. I had no idea what he found funny, but as I snapped back to reality I felt exhausted from the staring competition and my mind was beyond spiraled.

"And now the moment we've all been waiting for", he exclaimed theatrically, opening the file Christian brought for him.

He took out a thick piece of paper and layed it next to my plate. I glanced down and the first thing that caught my eye was that the document had my name on it. It was my birth certificate. I peered up at him and he leaned on his elbows, propping his chin on his hand and rubbing it with his index finger.

"See what I find odd is that there is no information about your father in here. Ibrahim Hathaway, you said?"

I found it odd as well, but I sure as hell wasn't about to admit that. _I had never seen my birth certificate_ , I suddenly thought as a frown formed on my forehead, _How is that even possible_? When I didn't say anything, Adrian nodded to himself and pulled out another thing from the file. This time it was a picture, probably snapped by what I guessed was a security camera or something. He placed it right on top of the empty space left for the information regarding my father and, soon enough, I realized he'd done that on purpose.

"This man", he started, pointing at the blurry face on the picture, "His name is Ibrahim Mazur."

"Good for him", I responded, forcing myself to look away and ignore the man that looked too damn familiar even though I'd never seen him before in my life. "What does some guy that has the same first name as my dead father have to do with me?"

"Hathaway. Is it just me or does your surname lack a certain letter?", Adrian questioned as he reached towards me.

I moved away, as much as the back of my chair would let me, but I was still within his reach and, for a moment, I actually considered slapping his hand away when it graced my collarbone. Despite my urges though, I stayed unmoving while his long fingers slowly traced the chain of my necklace until the pendant fell into his open palm and he lifted it up.

"Like perhaps the letter M", he added as he studied the aforementioned letter with curiosity, "Or maybe, the problem is the wrong surname."

"What exactly are you trying to imply?", I asked, attempting to figure out if he was just bullshiting me or if he was simply certifiably crazy.

"Isn't it obvious?", he questioned, but when I blankly kept staring at him, he breathed out, "Clearly not. Okay, let me tell you a little story then."

"What am I, five?"

"I wondered the same thing a few times", he teased, reaching for his cigarettes again, "Either way, this story is rather entertaining despite the mental or actual age of a person. See, there once was a young man who moved from Turkey to our lovely States in his search for a better life. He was no ordinary guy though. No, he was hungry for power, pleasure, money and making a name for himself and he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. He came from a strong family, but he was determined to become stronger than all of his family members combined. Many admired him, many feared him... even more still do. By the time he reached your age, he was one of the most notorious-."

"If you say crime lord", I cut in, already sensing where his story was going, "I might attempt suicide."

"I'm comfortable calling him a businessman", he chuckled as smoke flowed from his parted lips and twirled around him, running towards the ceiling, "Anyhow, the word on the street was that he got caught up in some mess with the law enforcement at some point and somehow, winded up getting really cozy with a charming, young Officer. Allegedly, they helped each other out. She helped him keep his hands clean and he helped her make Detective."

He paused to take a sip of his drink and I used the opportunity to break in: "Is there a point to this fairytale?"

"Of course there is. I don't exactly have a lot of time to waste so telling pointless tales would be idiotic. This, however, is the part of the story that was, until now, based solely on gossip which naturally made it the most interesting. Rumor was that, while they were getting cozy, the businessman and the officer made a cute, little baby girl. Now, the reason why that was only a rumor was because the businessman went under the radar for a little while and the officer plainly fell of it right around the time when things got interesting. All information about that woman or her potential daughter vanished without a trace. Some claimed that they knew who and where she was, some were certain that the businessman hid the little girl behind his army of men and kept her safe and close by."

"Why are they so important? The officer and the daughter."

"Because how do you challenge or scare a man who has nothing to lose?", Adrian pointed out with an odd spark in his eyes, "The only way to defeat him or keep him from defeating you is to find his weakness and apply pressure. And if he went above and beyond to shield these women then, chances are, they are that weakness."

"And this all is-?"

"Important to you because", he cut in, tapping the picture again, "This is the now, not so young, man I just told you about. And this-."

He pulled my birth certificate to the side, dragging an imaginary line underneath my mother's name before he finished: "Is a fake name. See, unlike most, I did my research thoroughly and over the course of many years. And after a lot of dead ends I finally learned that Detective Janine Hathaway didn't exist up until twenty three years ago, but Officer Nicolina Hunter did. Nicolina allegedly died in a shootout and Janine later carried on from there. So whether your surname, Rose, is Hunter, Hathaway or Mazur it doesn't really matter, because you are the long lost daughter of one of the biggest _crime lords_ I've ever heard of."

 **POV: Sydney**

I skipped over a puddle and glanced at the empty street behind me, tightening my hold on my purse in panic. I was going to get robbed or worse in this terrible neighbourhood. _What the hell would Rose be doing here_?

"Sage? Are you still breathing?", Trey spoke into my headphones, making me jump up in the altered state I was in.

"Yes. I'm fine. How close am I?"

Typing filled the line as a car raced past me and turned the corner so harshly its tires left a trail on the street. My heart was in my throat by the time some drunk guy stumbled out of some questionable looking establishment left of me. Luckily, he didn't even notice me passing by since he was too busy trying to zip up his jacket.

"Trey?", I urged, feeling my skin crawl.

"Hey, I'm not clairvoyant okay. I'm just using multilateration of signals between towers and calculating the approximate-."

"Just tell me where to go, please", I cut in, on the verge of screaming at him.

"Left."

"Thank you."

I took his directions, thinking about how after such a long time I finally understood why so many people came to Trey for help instead of going to the police. I did both, but it seemed like the officer that I talked to wasn't at all concerned by my claims that my best friend was kidnapped. I had no idea if he thought that I was trying to pull a prank or something, but he threatened to arrest me when I lost my nerve and began shouting at him to take me seriously. When I suggested he could track her phone, like Trey had promised to do, he made some idiotic excuse that you couldn't track a phone when it was turned off. Trey was more than happy to yell _bullshit_ into my phone when I passed along that information. So that was how I winded up here, in this Godforsaken part of the town, at night and alone if you didn't count Trey as my virtual companion, doing the work of tracking down Rose myself. It had been forty eight hours since I'd last heard from her and if I was freaked out yesterday, I was completely out of my mind from worry today.

"Another left and that's it. I can't get more specific Darling. Somewhere in that area the last signal was issued from her phone. Good luck and be careful."

"Thanks. I owe you one", I mumbled before the call ended.

I saw nothing that particularly stood out. Next to me was a row of three story buildings that all looked the same - old, unkempt and creepy enough to have me considering doing pretty much anything but stepping inside any of them. On the opposite side of the street was just an empty lot and a few dumpsters. There wasn't a living soul in the area, just some shouting in the distance and a TV playing loudly from somewhere.

I stepped under a lamppost feeling safer with the faint yellow light shining down on me. I stood there like an idiot, trying to figure out what I was supposed to be doing when a man walked out of one of the buildings and headed down the street towards me. When he got close enough for me to see his bleached blond hair under a baseball cap, his red-streaked eyes, a piercing on his eccentric pink painted brow along with a mess of tattoos on his arms, I cleared my throat and voiced: "Excuse me, Sir."

"Fuck off."

 _Such a gentleman_ , I thought but for whatever reason still decided it would be a splendid idea to try to talk to him. He didn't stop to give me a chance to do so though, so I basically had to run to catch up to him.

"Please, I just wanted to ask you a que-."

"Which part of fuck off don't ya get Doll?", he sneered, without even looking back at me.

"I understand you must be busy, but I'm just looking for someone and I was hoping you could-", I babbled before he turned around and moved towards me faster than I thought he could.

"You a cop?", he barked as I backed away from his pale face and a smell of alcohol that floated from his mouth.

"N-no. I'm just... I'm looking for a friend. That's all."

For a moment the only thing that moved were his eyes that were scanning me up and down and my chest jumping from my hectic breathing. After what seemed like a rather complicated inner battle he nodded to himself and added: "Then fuck off."

"But", I almost squealed, even though all I wanted to do was just sew my own mouth shut and run.

"Bitch, get going", he growled, after which I retreated as fast as my shaky legs would allow.

I ran over to the other side of the street, heaven itself sending me help in the form of a taxi that materialized out of nowhere. I waved at the driver, surprisingly managing to stop him. I didn't dare look back to see if the guy who was probably close to making me disappear too but in a more permanent way was still there. I latched onto the door of the taxi and janked it open letting out a shaky breath in relief.

"Miss, what did you lose in this neighbourhood?", was the first thing the driver said to me as I set foot inside peering over my shoulder.

"Phone", I breathed out when a flash caught my attention.

A lamppost reflected of a shiny surface that lay on the ground right next to the dumpsters. I left the door open and ran up to the dumpsters, hearing the driver shout something behind me, but not actually listening to what he was saying. I picked up the phone with shaky hands, recognizing it as Rose's immediately. The screen was broken and I ran my fingers over it as a shiver worked its way up my spine.

"Rose", I whispered, scanning the space around me like I was expecting her to just jump out of somewhere with some ridiculous story about how her phone ended up being a collateral of a series of unfortunate events. It was something she'd do, but it was also something that wasn't going to happen this time around. Something terrible bad happened to her and it was just beginning to sink in.

"Miss, no phone is worth it. This ain't a nice part of town", the taxi driver yelled as he leaned over the passenger's seat, "Are you getting in or not?"

I returned to the car even though my legs shouldn't be working just because of how numb they felt. I plopped down and shut the door behind me as the driver mumbled something between the lines of _kids these days_ into his chin and rolled his eyes, peeling away from the sidewalk. My head was throbbing and my sight became blurry. My heart unevenly slammed against my ribcage as pressure began building in my ears, making everything muffled. I held onto Rose's phone tightly as I dug through my bag and found my power bank. Beyond all reason the phone worked, though operating it proved to be very difficult with its distorted screen. After some maneuvering, I pushed the phone against my ear and waited. Three rings later a voice that I hadn't heard for a few years now responded with: "The world must be ending if I get a voluntary call from my daughter."

"Um, Mrs. Hathaway, it's Sydney. Sydney Sage. I'm... are you sitting down?"

"What happened?", she instantly asked in a somber voice.

There was a moment, a very short moment when I considered hanging up. That moment ended as soon as I thought about the danger Rose could be in and the fact that if something wasn't done, and fast, I might never get a chance to see just how mad she would get when she found out I called her mother. I'd rather have her hating me for the rest of her life than her not having that life at all.

"I-I don't know. But Rose is... she is missing."

 **POV: Dimitri**

Adrian texted me. It was monumental just for the plain reason that he loathed texting. He would tease me about my love for oldtime music, books or movies every chance he got. He declared me a _knight in duster armor_ which was the reason he even bought me a rather expensive and well preserved sword that had allegedly belonged to some warrior from the medieval era. It was a waste of money, but it made him giddy and the collector he had acquired it from very happy. To say that his birthday gifts to me so far were eccentric was an understatement.

He teased me yes, yet he had an odd way of appreciating and following certain ways. Though he rode in modern cars, wore the finest clothes and could listen to anything from country to dubstep, he still mostly behaved in such manner that had you thinking he was in his sixties. I believed he turned out that way because he was pretty much brought up by Tatiana and that woman was a lady above everything else. His ability to keep up appearances and maintain a polite disposition, even when he was about to slaughter someone, was astonishing to say the least. He didn't get involved in anything more than one night stands, yet he would open doors and pull out chairs for every woman that he was entertaining or, well, that was entertaining him, whether she was from upper class or a common prostitute. And he'd avoid talking to people though abbreviations and emoticons if he could help it, preferring seeing someone face to face.

 _Downstairs. Bring the blue box._

I hated that box. Every time I saw it, I knew that things had gone to hell. It was a very advanced kit, that was either used for patching someone up or medicating him or her into oblivion. The last time I saw it, I had to resuscitate Adrian for ten agonizingly long minutes, thinking it would be the last time I'd see him. Before that, Adrian had to dig out a bullet from my shoulder that was stuck so deep I passed out from the blood loss caused by his fishing around before he'd managed to finish the job. All in all, the box meant trouble. That was the reason why I could almost feel each step that I took crashing with a wave of anxiousness against the floor as I raced down the stairs.

Adrian had decided to tell Rosemarie about who she was. I advised him against it, but he was very adamant about the idea. I also insisted I should be there in case she got out of hand, but he reassured me that he could handle everything himself. It had been a while since Christian and I had left and I had no idea what had happened in the meantime. _If she attacked him and she is not dead yet then she will die, PAINFULLY!_ , my own brain screamed at me as I hit the door with my shoulder and tumbled inside.

I expected to see a lot of things and most of those things implied a big mess. What I certainly did not expect was to find Adrian kneeling next to Rosemarie who was sitting on the floor with her head between her knees. He was rubbing her back soothingly with a guilt stricken expression as she kept mumbling: "This can't be real. This is not real."

"Just breathe Rose", Adrian tried instructing, but she just seemed to have more and more trouble inhaling properly as seconds passed.

"How c-can this be real?", she asked no one in particular as I approached them slowly, catching Adrian's attention.

"If you say I told you so I'll fire you", he spoke up, urging me to hand him the box.

"I won't. And you wouldn't fire me even if I did", I replied as Rose's head jerked back and she scratched her neck like she was attempting to remove an invisible noose from it.

"I can't... why is it so h-hot in here?"

Adrian ignored her, still addressing me as he dug through the box: "I think I've just met the only person more stubborn than you. It took me about a million pieces of proof to convince her that I wasn't making this up."

"He is a criminal. M-mafia. How could-, mah, mo-other be with h-m?"

"How long has she been in this state?", I asked as Adrian carefully filled a syringe with a sedative.

"Long enough to have me playing doctor."

She didn't put up a fight or even move when he dabbed her skin with an alcohol pad and then gingerly inserted the needle into her arm. She kept staring at the floor, her eyes glazed and her lips quivering as she spoke into her chin. Her heaving chest began settling down after a few moments and Adrian looked relieved. I wasn't sure whether it was because she was beginning to calm down or because he was glad he didn't wind up triggering an anaphylactic shock by the sedative he had administered. She kept up with the incoherent talk, now even more enhanced by the drug spreading through her system.

"She should get rest", I voiced as Adrian supported her since her muscles relaxed enough to make her unsteady.

"Definitely. I'll help her to her room", he announced, pulling her up to her wobbly feet.

"I got it", I reassured him, catching her before she tumbled back down.

For the first time, she didn't tense when we made contact and I easily lifted her up. Quite contrary, her head fell back and she dangled from my arms as Adrian helped me get a better hold of her. Her arms winded up curled over her stomach and it surprised me when her fingers gripped my shirt. Her eyelids began opening and closing lazily, until she didn't bother to open them almost at all. I carried her to her room as a few more mumbles escaped her lips. I layed her gently on top of her bed and had to pry her fingers away from my shirt when it stayed in her hold, preventing me from straightening up. Her tangled hair fell over her face and I found myself smoothing it back. She was almost a complete stranger to me and annoyed me right from the jump, yet I felt an ache seeing her like this.

"I need you to do something", Adrian's low voice came from the doorway, making me jump since I didn't notice him following me. He had become quite stealthy over the course of our time together.

"What do you need?"

He motioned me to join him, easing the door to a close as I stepped out. He stared at it for a few moments, almost like he could see through it before his focus turned to me and he reached into his pocket to produce a set of three disparate keys. He handed them to me and I studied the two small keychains, that I figured were special orders since I highly doubted the name Vasilisa was often found in stores. Next to it was Sydney. Those were the names of Rosemaries best friends according to Christian.

"I want you to go to her place. See if you can find anything useful. I'm pretty certain she really had no idea who her father was or knew that he was alive, but that doesn't mean she didn't have something valuable without even knowing it. Be careful though, I got a call from the PD... her absence was _noticed_."

"Consider it done."

"Oh and pick up some of her things", he added, glancing back at the door again, "Looks like she'll be staying for a while."

* * *

 **And here it is! Rose's background is finally revealed a bit and I hope it was satisfying for y'all! That doesn't mean the "mystery" is over yet (actually there are plenty of things left to be uncovered when it comes to all three of them since we are after all just on chapter 6 XD)! I hope this chapter was fun to read and as always let me know your thoughts in the reviews! Also** **I'd like to once again thank everyone for the follows, favourites and reviews because your support really encouraged me... so THANKS GUYS! "See ya" next week!**

 **Songs: Dogs of War - Blues Saraceno, Jungle - X Ambassadors**


	7. CH7 - Enemy Saviour

**POV: Dimitri**

I turned Rosemarie's apartment upside-down and found nothing but a few misplaced scrunchies and hairpins under various pieces of furniture, unopened bills in the oddest of places and hidden snacks in at least five drawers, one of them even being in the bathroom. There was absolutely nothing of any significance hidden in her apartment. I tired myself down while searching though so, despite that fact that I was supposed to leave as soon as possible, I winded up taking a seat on the comfortable, tiny couch in the living room.

I had run into a small duffle bag pushed underneath her bed and packed some of her things along the way. The variety of her clothes was fascinating - going from very figure fitting to baggy and loose, from flimsy dresses to thick sweatshirts and from elegant to sporty. I had no idea what to pack, but in the end opted for more comfortable clothes since those would be my pick in a situation like hers. Packing her underwear made me abashed. Digging through women's panties and bras was definitely something I thought I'd never have to do. That didn't stop me from noticing those didn't lack variety either, as if I wasn't feeling pervy enough already. Adrian said she'd be staying for some time, but I had decided that time would not be long enough for me to pack more than what fit into that small bag. I was about to zip it up while I was resting on the sofa before I looked at a shelf near the window and saw something that drew my attention.

I picked up the bag and carried it with me, leaning towards the shelf to take a better look at the two frames that were propped against what little books Rosemarie owned. In one was a photo of her and her mother. I recognized the woman from Adrian's and my research, but she didn't interest me as much as the little girl sitting in her lap. For a moment I thought of my sisters. They bore some resemblance to the child, especially when it came to her big, innocent eyes full of wonder. I instantly felt nostalgic, wanting nothing more than to see my family and home again. Well, actually, my other family and my other home again. The other picture wasn't taken that long ago judging by Rosemarie's looks. She was hugging two girls, one with pale blond hair and jade eyes and the other with hair of a slightly darker, goldish shade and light brown eyes. Both women were thinner than her, especially the jade-eyed one and both had wide smiles on their faces while Rosemarie stuck her tongue out at the camera. _Vasilisa and Sydney_ , I thought as I decided to pick up the frames and open them in order to take the photos. I threw them on top of the clothes and zipped the bag seconds before I heard Ashford saying _someone's coming_ into my earpiece.

I wasted no time pushing the window up and climbing out onto the fire-escape. I slid down the stairs fast, keeping my face hidden in the shadows just in case somebody decided to peer out the window. As soon as my feet hit the ground and I steadied myself from the jump, I jogged down the alley and made my way around the building. As I approached the car that was waiting for me I saw Ashford running from the other side. When he was close enough to hear me I questioned: "Who did you see?"

"Two women and a guy", he replied as we got into the car and Castile put it into gear.

I fished the photo I last looked at and turned it towards him while asking: "These two?"

"Yeah."

I nodded and returned the picture into the bag. It would have been stupid not to expect her friends to be looking for her. I was just glad I had backup to warn me about their arrival. As I relaxed into my seat, I saw a small smile appearing on Castile's face from the corner of my eye. When I glanced at him, I noticed him peering at my gloved hands before he chuckled: "It's really cold tonight."

"Don't be a smartass", I chuckled as I slipped them off and tossed them in the compartment before me, "I couldn't risk leaving any prints. Her mother is a detective after all."

"Smart", Ashford commented from the backseat, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"No."

Both men caught on quickly that monosyllabic answers usually meant stop talking so that was exactly what they did for the rest of the ride. They were clever men and I was becoming more and more certain I was right to hire them. Much to Alto's disapproval, which was something that always brought me a bit of joy, I'd decided that a change in structure would be a good idea. Freshening it up made it harder for our enemies to find weaknesses. You had to know your opponent in order to get the upper hand so having two new men backing me gave me an advantage. It was a risk too, since I myself still wasn't sure just how skilled they actually were and whether I could trust them, but taking risks was a necessity at times.

As we drove back, McCall called me and told me he was going with Adrian to get some things done and that I was to check on our guest when I arrived. I asked if he needed me, but he assured me he had it handled. As soon as we arrived I told Ashford and Castile they were free to go since I always felt comfortable loosening protection when Adrian wasn't around. He was after all always the main target and the rest of us would just be collateral that was in the way.

I went to see Rosemarie, opening the door gingerly in case she was asleep. If I was being honest, I was actually hoping she was asleep, because I really didn't want to battle with her, _again_. However, I found her sitting on the edge of her bed, wide awake and almost completely naked. Her hair was damp and it hung loosely over her bare shoulders. The only thing she had on was a towel wrapped around her body. She was hugging herself, her eyes fixed on the garden behind the window, not moving a muscle when I entered or approached her.

"I brought you some clothes", I announced, expecting to at least startle her since it seemed like she still hadn't taken notice of my presence.

It didn't happen. She just nodded, ever so slightly, to acknowledge that I spoke and waited for a few moments after I placed her bag on the bed before she grabbed the zipper and opened it. She reached inside and when her hand resurfaced she was holding the photos. She unblinkingly scanned them, putting the one with her friends back inside and holding onto the one where she was with her mother. _She must miss her_ , I thought, mostly because it was a feeling well known to me. However, she dismissed my illusions soon enough when her fingers ran up to the top and she ripped it in half. She proceeded to shred it into little pieces, the ripping echoing off the walls of the silent room. _She wasn't sad, she was angry_. She crunched the torn pieces with her palm and stood up, walking over to the toilet. She stood above it with alarming serenity, flushing it before she lifted her hand and uncurled her fist, letting what once was clearly a cherished memory twirl away down the pipes. When she came back she looked at me, but avoided eye-contact.

"Could you leave or at least turn around so that I can dress?"

Instead of responding I headed towards the door, glancing back at her before I left her alone to say: "I can bring you something to eat if you want."

"Not hungry", she mumbled as she turned her back to me and sunk her hands into the bag again.

I found that hard to believe after seeing the stashes of snacks at her place, but I left her be. If I was in her shoes, I probably wouldn't have an appetite either.

 **POV: Christian**

I poured two shots for the customers waiting for their drinks before I drank one myself. _This night is never going to end_ , I whined to myself glancing at the smaller than usual crowd. Weekends I could get, but I had no idea how this place could be running every single day. Most days I didn't mind working at The Academy. Sometimes I rather enjoyed it. But things were getting heated now that the police took interest in Rose's disappearance. Adrian warned me that someone might come around to ask questions, someone who was not under his control. I was really hoping it wouldn't come to that. Sure, I tried my best to prove myself useful and I really wanted to keep this job, but what I also really wanted was to not go to jail.

"Excuse me, could I get a cocktail called Hurricane?", somebody yelled behind me and I turned to face a woman that I'd already seen before.

 _Well that was freaking fast_. Adrian should definitely start playing the lottery. He had a wicked sixth sense of some sort. I was relieved that at least it wasn't a woman in blue that was coming here to surely get some answers out of me. I figured dealing with Sydney would be easier. Lying to her might pass smoother since she was not trained to recognize the signs of someone doing it... _I think_.

"Sure", I replied, trying desperately to play it cool and act like I didn't recognize her as the best friend of the girl I helped kidnapped.

"Can I get you anything else?", I added when I finished making the cocktail despite her intense stare and placed it in front of her.

"Yeah. You can tell me where Rose is."

"Rose?", I asked but didn't wait too long in order to make it less suspicious before adding, "Oh, Rose, yes. Sydney, right? I guess I should be asking you that. Your friend stood me up a few days ago. We were supposed to have a date."

"Stood you up?", Sydney questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Damn right. She never showed up. I waited for two hours and tried calling her a few times but her cell was off."

"Huh", she huffed, her eyes narrowing at me, "And what did you do after you stopped waiting for her?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I came here to grab a drink and soothe my bruised ego. And what do you mean tell you where she is? Aren't women and their best friends connected by an umbilical cord or something?"

"Perhaps if we were teenagers. We are adults. And-."

"And what?", I prompted, leaning over the bar to fix my eyes on hers.

"She is missing."

"Missing", I exclaimed, trying to seem as natural as possible while imitating shock, "Like she took off missing or-."

"I think somebody kidnapped her."

"Shit. Did you go to the police?"

"You think I'm an idiot? Of course I did, but so far they've got nothing", she babbled finally plopping down on the barstool and actually taking the drink she had ordered.

"And what, you thought that I had something to do with it?"

She glanced up at me with obvious embarrassment which kind of made me feel a small dose of guilt. I hated lying, even though I was surprisingly good at it most of the time. She visibly battled to phrase what was on her mind before she pushed out: "I thought... well, she was supposed to be with you and when I tried calling you your phone was out of service."

"That's because I lost it, the phone I mean and the number with it", I elaborated, taking out my new phone and pushing it over the bar, "I just figured it'd be easier to get new... everything."

She nodded and took a sip of her drink. The last time I saw her she was brighter than a star, all smiles and blushes. Now, she looked like she was running on minimum sleep and lots of caffeine, her face pale and eyes filled with sadness and worry. Rose was lucky to have devoted friends and also very unlucky to have Ibrahim Mazur as her father.

"Did you call her parents?", I prompted, thinking that seeming helpful and interested was the best way to go about this. Also, it wouldn't hurt to get some valuable information in the process.

"Her mom is flying in", Sydney responded absentmindedly, playing with the straw, "She might be able to speed things along with the police."

"How so?"

"She is a detective."

"Oh, well, that's good", I breathed out as she looked at me with glossy eyes.

"You know they are saying that she took off. Ridiculous."

"Why would they think that?"

"Cause her stuff is missing. I didn't even notice it when I went to her place for the first time", she elaborated, talking more to herself than me, "But I kept telling them she wouldn't just take off like that. And then there is her phone-."

 _So Dimitri and Adrian cleaned things up_. It was a good move, taking steps to make the investigation harder. _They were buying time_. I did my best to keep up with the conversation so I asked: "What about her phone?"

All of a sudden Sydney straightened up and blinked, like she had just woken up. She eyed me with what seemed like suspicion before she announced: "I shouldn't be telling you this. Disclosing information to anyone could ruin the investigation."

"I can keep a secret", I prompted, but I knew this conversation was about to reach its end, "Besides, maybe I can help."

"Maybe", she mumbled before she reached into her purse and produced a piece of paper, "Here is my card, in case you _do_ remember something that can help. The number at the top is from my office and the one below is my cell. Or you can just go down to the station."

"You work for a law firm?", I questioned as I studied her card.

"Yes. Here's some money for the drink."

She took out her wallet, but before she could pay a hand closed over hers and we both looked up to the new arrival. The guy looked slightly familiar so I guessed he must have been one of the regulars. Unlike me, Sydney seemed to have recognized him in a blink. He was working an easy smile, the kind that could probably charm most girls, but _most_ obviously excluded the one sitting in front of me.

"Hey Syd, fancy running into you here", the guy said as she recoiled.

"Jesse. As always, it's not a pleasure to see you."

I barely managed to stop myself from screaming _burn_ right at the guy's face. I liked Sydney. She looked like cotton candy, but was pretty spicy on the inside. Jesse's smile didn't waver, but his eyes left her to travel around the place.

"Is my sweetheart with you? I've been meaning to say hi."

"No, she's not, but even if she was, she wouldn't want to see you", she replied after which she stood up and took her drink, gripping it tightly in her hand, "You narcissistic, cheating prick."

"That's harsh. Besides, it only happened one time. She understands."

I was certain that whichever of Sydney's friends used to be this guy's _sweetheart_ most definitely did _not_ understand it and it looked like Sydney thought so too.

"Understand this", she snapped before she splashed the remains of her cocktail right in his face.

My eyes went wide and a few people that saw the scene turned away to hide their faces and cover their snickers with the music blasting from the speakers. He ran his hand over his face attempting to shake off the excess of juice that stuck to it. I vowed to myself that I was under no circumstances giving him a napkin just out of principle and lots of entertainment that Sydney just created for me. She returned the glass to me and payed for the drink as Jesse recovered from the unplanned _refreshment_ , moving to stand in her way when she attempted to leave.

"You know, I always thought you were a bitch", he spat out while Sydney tried to surpass him.

"I'll take that as a compliment since it's coming from you Zeklos."

I felt like a cold shower washed over me as soon as she mentioned his surname. I knew that surname, I'd seen it before a couple of times on papers that were sprawled over Adrian's desk. I heard Dimitri mention it too, more than a few times. _An unsolved murder to the public, a family feud to those who knew more about the people behind the curtain_. Jesse grabbed Sydney's arm, swaying a little when he stepped forward which made me realize he was clearly more than buzzed.

"Hey, dude, don't start making trouble", I spoke up as Sydney tried pushing him away.

"Mind your own business", he replied at the same time Sydney told him to get his hands off her.

"Let the lady go", McCall's voice came from behind the two of them and I instantly felt relieved. Getting into fights was really not my style, but letting someone bully another person, especially a woman was even less my style.

At first it looked like he was going to ignore McCall or even challenge him, but then Adrian appeared from behind him and the guy's hand instantly slipped away from Sydney. She stumbled back a little, but held her ground proudly. _Not spicy, fiery_.

"I thought I told you to stay away from my club", Adrian spoke as he neared Jesse, "And you've not only ignored that, but now you're pestering my guests as well. You are not the sharpest tool in your family's shed, are you?"

"Come on Adrian, I thought we were passed your conspiracies."

I didn't know if he was trying to ease the tension or just piss Adrian off, but he certainly only managed to achieve the latter. Adrian's face twisted into what I'd learned to recognize as _my patience is running thin_ expression. Jesse did have a bit of luck on his side though since McCall was with Adrian rather than Dimitri. The scary Russian usually had a sedating effect on his boss, but I knew he hated this guy just from the way he'd spoken about him. Whatever beef they had, it was personal. And it looked like Adrian took that personally as well.

"It's guilty until proven innocent in my book. Get lost Zeklos. Don't make me say it again."

Jesse walked or rather stumbled away without another word. Anyone in their right mind would've done the same. If you were going to mess with Adrian you certainly wouldn't do it when you were vastly outnumbered and on his turf, not to mention with him already more than agitated. Sydney straightened her blouse and pushed her golden locks behind her ears as Adrian turned to her and asked: "Are you alright?"

"Um, yes, thank you."

"You look familiar", Adrian continued, biting the corner of his lip as he studied her, "Have we met?"

"No, I don't think so", she replied, but there was something in the way she spoke that made me think she was lying through her teeth, "So this is your club?"

"Hm?", he mumbled as he did that thing where he'd wander away to some other dimension when he was concentrating on something hard.

"Yes. He's my boss. He can confirm I was here after Rose ditched me. Or rather the cameras of _his_ club can", I butted in, getting him to snap out of his haze upon the mention of his prisoner.

"Right. Who are we talking about?", he prompted, almost managing to fool me as well with his look of innocence.

"A friend of mine", Sydney mumbled as she picked up her things, "Thank you for... well-."

"You're most certainly welcome miss. I hope your evening didn't get ruined."

"Not by him it didn't. Er, goodbye", she said before glancing at me and adding, "Don't lose the card. And your cocktail is still amazing. See you around."

"Good luck", I shot after her, but she was already gone.

"What was that about?", Adrian asked as he took Sydney's previous seat.

I considered telling him about the quarrel between Sydney and Zeklos, but decided it wasn't really important enough for me to waste either of our time which was why I cut it to: "He was being a drunk dick and she was here to ask about Rose."

"Ha, I told you people would come sniffing around, didn't I?", he exclaimed triumphantly despite the fact that he shouldn't have really been that excited to be right about such a thing.

"Yeah, yeah, we get it, you are fucking genius", I shot back as I decided my earlier decision to drink was the best one I'd made in a while.

 **POV: Rose**

Something woke me up. I was disoriented and had trouble opening my eyes at first so all I was aware of was that the light went on and I was still clutching to the photo of Sydney, Lissa and I. I'd cried over it before I passed out so my eyes were all puffy and stinging. I peered over my shoulder at a blurry figure standing next to the opened door of the room I was in. For a moment, in my jumbled state I'd forgotten where that room was, but soon my eyes adjusted and I realized Adrian was the reason I was back from oblivion.

"Come downstairs when you are ready", he instructed, doing the most unexpected thing - leaving the door wide open and walking away.

I was stunned. I slowly threw my legs over the edge of the bed and pulled on my sweatshirt so that I could zip it up. I brushed my hair with my fingers since I didn't have the luxury of a hairbrush and then made my way towards the door. I stuck my head out first, glancing down the empty hallway. I had no idea if this was some kind of trick or something so I walked slower than an old lady with a cane. When I reached the stairs I gripped the wide railing and peered over it to the space below me. Empty again.

I slid down the stairs and stopped when I winded up in front the entrance to the house. _I could just open it and walk out_ , I thought before my own mind screamed _stupid_ back at me. Maybe the house wasn't crawling with bodyguards, but I probably wouldn't manage to take two steps away from it before a SWAT team with military issued guns surrounded me. Adrian wouldn't have let me just walk away after all of the trouble he went through to get me here. _Years, it took him years to get me here_. He made that pretty clear when he told me the truth about my parents. Truth - yeah, it was still going to take time to get used to that idea, but there weren't many alternatives, not after how compelling his proof was. Whether I wanted to accept it or not, it didn't matter. Facts were facts. And these facts completely blew my entire life so far to pieces.

I was about to head to the dining room since that was where I was last taken, but then I heard Adrian's faint voice coming from the opposite direction: "Over here."

Damn, that man could either see through walls or he had an extremely good grasp of his senses. Maybe he could read minds too, because there was really no logical explanation of how he knew where I was and which direction I was about to take.

I turned right and strolled into a living room where Adrian was sitting in a large armchair next to a fireplace. It was summer, but that didn't stop him from lighting a fire. Come to think of it, the place was pretty cold judging by the temperatures outside. He fixed his eyes on the chair opposite of him, wordlessly willing me into it. He waited until I tucked my feet underneath me and leaned on the armrest before he decided to talk.

"I hope you got some rest. Believe it or not, I never meant to upset you."

"I believe you", I muttered and upon seeing surprise spread over his features added, "I might be wrong, but it seems like you don't tend to lie."

"Not unless it's necessary", he confirmed, his eyes traveling to the fireplace.

 _He was dressed differently_ , I thought as my eyes fell from his face. Just a plain shirt and sporty pants. Still elegant, but less formal. It was the first time I'd seen him not looking like a model, well if you ignored his striking features that were illuminated by the lenient flames. It was also the first time I'd seen him without a drink or a cigarette stuck in his mouth.

"Also, you have a strange ability of making me want to tell the truth. It's quite unnerving if I'm being honest."

"Sorry", I chuckled dryly, watching his lips tug to the sides slightly, "I'm not doing it on purpose."

"Oh, I know. Still you _are_ doing it. That's why I'm going to tell you something I really shouldn't."

"Why not? It's not like I have anyone to tell. Unless you think I'm going to become best buddies with your favorite bodyguard and tell him."

"He already knows. He is the only one who does", he said before his eyes shot back to me and he grinned, "You know I can't tell if you really like him or really hate him. Maybe both?"

"No, definitely just one", I replied, rolling my eyes so hard I thought they might permanently get stuck in that unnatural state.

Adrian laughed, clearly more than amused by my disdain for his _charming_ friend, his face suddenly losing its usual seriousness. He must have been carrying a big burden in order to manage to look so much older most of the time. I had no idea why I was so calm and observant all of a sudden. It was the complete opposite of what my personality was. I guess unordinary behaviour was something that could be expected in life changing moments. This was that kind of a moment, however long it might last and whatever its ending might bring.

"So", he started, drumming his fingers on the armrest a few times, "I told you about who your father is and about how you are the weakness I was looking for, but I didn't tell you why. I reckon that must be a burning question on your mind."

"No, not really", I sneered, but I wasn't fooling anyone.

"Either way, I'll tell you. I-, I want to make a deal with your father. I give him you and he gives me his support."

"Support for what?"

"For defeating a common enemy."

"If it's a common enemy, why would you need to leverage him into helping you?"

"You are a smart little thing, aren't you?", he chuckled as I made a self-satisfied expression, "Because your father doesn't play well with others."

"Can you stop calling him that, please?"

"Why? That's what he is."

"I know. That still doesn't make it easier for me to wrap my mind around it. You could just call him by his name or whatever."

"Alright. So Ibrahim will not help me unless he is pressured into it."

"And you think I'm the key to that? Why would he want to do anything for me? He ignored my existence for twenty three years."

"Did he?", Adrian questioned, but I figured it was rhetorical, "Not a single soul has found you until now. I'm pretty sure that would have been impossible if he didn't meddle."

"Why now then?"

"Probably because he didn't expect it to happen after so long", he suggested while rubbing his neck absently, "Also, I'm a very stubborn son of a gun."

"And how do you know you won't piss him off? You know, because you kidnapped me and all of that."

"I will, but as long as I don't harm you myself and I keep you safe from others, there is a big chance he'll be willing to overlook the kidnapping part."

"Others?", I asked, suddenly feeling a dose of panic at that one single word.

"Rose, if I found you, others must be close behind and not all of them want to be on Ibrahim's good side."

"So, what, you think they'll try to kill me?"

"I know they will", he replied with such seriousness that I felt my heart skip a beat, "So, from now on, you know where the door is. If you think you can make it back to your home then go ahead, I won't stop you. However, I'd seriously advise against it, because to me it seems like I'm your biggest chance of survival."

He was bluffing. He must have been bluffing. However, I had no desire to test his theory quite yet. Either I'd lost my mind over the course of the past couple of days or this world was truly mad and twisted. There was no way I could feel safer staying with a guy who kidnapped me. No way. Though what was my other option - risking my life, my friends' lives in case he wasn't bluffing. Or asking my mother, the woman who had been lying to me my entire life, for help and shelter. As my gawking at Adrian progressed I could see a small victorious smile spreading over his lips. _One point for Adrian, zero for Rose_. _Well, shit_.

* * *

 **Heyya , so I hope y'all are having great holidays! I'm just here with my weekly update which I hope you enjoyed! I'm gonna keep this short and just add a little comment for those of you who have expressed their concerns about a love triangle: I'm not planning on having one, though that doesn't mean I won't play around a bit! However, I'm not a fan of Adrian being in love with Rose (mostly because I never thought their relationship was healthy in the books) so I'm not going to have him falling for her or her for him if that's what y'all are concerned about! Romitri is the endgame, keep that in mind!**

 **Alright, y'all enjoy the rest of this year and I'll "see" you around in the next one! XOXO**

 **Songs: Evil Ways - Blue Saraceno, Wasteland - 10 years**


	8. CH8 - Early mornings and Dirty cops

**POV: Rose**

A week. One whole damn week of imprisonment. Okay, perhaps that was a harsh way to put it since I was allowed to wander through the house and was no longer confined to the room with the barred windows. Yes, I still slept there and spent most of my time in it, but no one would bother me if I decided to doze off in between the fluffy pillows of the gigantic sofa in the living room or just hang out on the kitchen's countertop. The only rooms I wasn't allowed to step into were Adrian's office, what I figured was his bedroom and Dimitri's room. I wasn't exactly forbidden to go outside, but I was also not in a rush to do so since I took my time familiarizing with my new surroundings. I felt like I was a child, afraid of the unknown world beyond the main door.

Reactions to the increase of my presence varied. Adrian acted as if me being there was nothing new or out of the ordinary, but then again he always seemed to be busy and was rarely around so he didn't really have a lot of time to be bothered by the likes of me. Not many of his men entered the house. A guy named McCall seldom stopped by and didn't even look at me when he did. Ashford, whom I actually had a few conversations with and started calling Mason after he'd insisted, seemed glad to see me and even got his, apparently, best friend Eddie to participate in a few chats. Mason and Eddie were my most frequent companions. I guess they were supposed to be my guards when I was out and about. A few of the others came and went without a fuss or much acknowledgement of anything that I was doing at that moment. Actually, the only person who was exceedingly annoyed by my very existence was none other than Dimitri Belikov. Yes, the surname addressing between the men helped me learn his full name too.

Dimitri had a particularly obvious way of showing me he didn't agree with Adrian's choice to give me more space. Whenever he walked into a room and I was there he'd tense and find a reason to vamoose. I could swear that I'd seen him roll his eyes a few times when he interrupted my snacking sessions in Adrian's gloriously stocked up kitchen. The aforementioned snacking sessions had increased from their usual daily number purely because I was bored, so that meant a lot of eyerolls. The only time he'd talk to me was when he warned me not to touch or do something. He either thought I was a child or a pet. Whichever was the case, him bossing me around was very... vexing - _my new word of the day_.

I kept testing the waters, mostly by dipping my toes in before deciding to sink the whole foot. Over and over. I had to probe the boundaries, learn how everyone functioned and how I fit into all of it. Most importantly, I had to play my part and hope that Adrian would keep the promise he had made at the end of the night when we sat by the fireplace. The promise that, as soon as this was over, I'd be able to go and forget that it ever happened. Not that I could forget, especially now that I was aware of the fact that I'd have to do the same thing my mother did - disappear. I was still trying not to think about that part though, mostly because I didn't want to think about abandoning the people I love and also because it made me feel like I could begin to understand my mother and forgive her. And I didn't want to forgive her. Not yet at least.

Starting over would be a bitch. I wouldn't even know where to begin and I wouldn't have any help from my friends if they were to be left behind. I was bad at adulting even without this extra load, so trying to figure out how to live under the radar would, most likely, be a disastrous venture. I'd probably have to get a new identity which would make my life look like an awful, made for TV movie. Not to mention the fact that I'd have to find another job and apartment and I was hanging onto the ones I had by a thread. This being kidnapped thing sucked ass.

Throughout the week my nerves and my mental state went back to relatively normal. After some initial shock... well, actually plenty of initial shock, I'd come to realize that I couldn't allow myself to fall apart _just_ because most of my life was a lie. I was not going to let this defeat me. I was going to find a way to make the most of the situation like I always had.

My father was a crime boss, so what? At least he wasn't some random guy killed in a car accident. My relatives from his side weren't uninterested to get to know me or care for me, they just didn't know I existed... probably. I was kidnapped by Adrian Ivashkov sure, but I probably could have been kidnaped my someone much worse, someone who wanted to harm me or kill me. My friends were most likely worried sick by now, but they were alive and well as far as I knew. And all of this wasn't permanent, right? Beyond all of that I just had to cross my fingers and hope for the best outcome.

Glass half-full and all that crap was my new life moto. The only flaw in my forced positive way of thinking though was that I ran into some incredibly awkward issues that I felt even more awkward bringing up. However, I wasn't exactly in the position to stay quiet about it for too long so, finally, when Adrian came back to the house after his early Sunday chore, whatever it was, I basically ambushed him.

"I need to talk to you", I announced as soon as he set foot inside.

"It's gonna have to wait", he huffed as he kicked his shoes off and eyed my restless shifting from one foot to another.

"It really can't."

I captured his attention enough to send his eyebrow through the roof. He was most likely not used to anyone contradicting him on anything and I'd made it a habit. He crossed his arms on his chest as McCall appeared in the doorway and asked if he needed anything else. Adrian dismissed him as his eyes shot up to the stairs in a wordless signal for me to start moving. I raced up which led me to stand at the top waiting for him to almost lazily climb after me. As soon as he let me into his office he asked: "So what is so urgent?"

"I need you to buy me some things."

"Oh, do you now?", he laughed monotonously which was a rare occurrence for him since he was either playful or pissed with little in-between, "You are getting greedy Rose. It's too early to start asking for gifts."

"I'm not asking for gifts, just essentials."

"And what would those essentials be?"

"Well", I started, feeling a blush creeping up my cheeks, "It'd be nice if could get an expansion of toiletries, the more pressing issue being some female stuff."

While I talked he buried his nose into his phone so I wasn't surprised that he didn't keep up with my attempts at subtlety. Without bothering to look up he mumbled: "Just make a list of what you need and I'll get someone to go pick it up tomorrow."

"I can't wait that long Adrian. I need it now."

"Rose", he said, finally glancing up at me with a dose of annoyance, "I'm sure you can survive without moisturizers, face masks and whatever else you women are crazy about for one day."

"Tampons", I exclaimed way louder than I intended, wanting the ground to open and swallow me whole, "I need tampons Adrian and I need them like yesterday. Belikov didn't pack anything useful when he _robbed_ my apartment."

"Oh", he pushed out, putting his phone down and for the first time ever looking abashed, "Sorry. That-, yeah, I'll-. Khm, I'll go get you those things now."

"Thank you", I breathed out, relieved that this conversation was over and that I now had one less thing to worry about.

He was fast. Like impossibly fast. In under half an hour there were two gigantic bags of literally anything a person could possibly need for personal hygiene and then some waiting for me on my bed. I think he bought out an entire shop, even adding some makeup and a perfume onto the pile for whatever weird logic he had at the moment. He also, apparently, had no idea what he was supposed to get so he bought various kinds of the same products and left it up to me to chose what I liked the most. As soon as I was done with urgent manners, I sought him out to thank him again. It took me a while to figure out that he was in the kitchen and he wasn't alone.

"And her mother?", Dimitri's voice echoed from the kitchen walls as I snuck closer to the door deciding to eavesdrop a little before making my presence known.

"What about her?"

"She's coming after us like a hellhound."

 _Oh, heaven help me_. I would be lying if I said I wasn't already almost one hundred percent sure that either Sydney or Lissa called my mother. I'd also be lying if I didn't say that I would rather spend the rest of my life locked inside of Adrian's house than face my mother when she found me. And she would find me, sooner or later, because... hell, if I didn't get my stubbornness from her then my father was a force to be reckoned with.

"She is not coming after us", Adrian contradicted calmly, "She is trying to come after the people who took her daughter and, last I checked, she is not even close to finding out that's us."

"It's a matter of time Adrian", Dimitri warned just as I moved and the floor cracked underneath my feet. I figured that was as good time as any to go in and pretend like I'd just arrived. I strolled inside leisurely, looking directly at Adrian while ignoring Dimitri's presence. He didn't deserve better after how he'd been treating me.

"My hero", I exclaimed theatrically as I neared Adrian who was, to my surprise, preparing food, "Thank you for the gifts."

"Sure thing", he responded as he popped a thick slice of cucumber into his mouth, "Just don't get spoiled on me now."

"Wouldn't dream of it", I replied, imitating his earlier movement and grinning at him when he slapped my hand away.

"Only the cook gets to eat food before lunch in this house", he warned, but there was an easy smile on his face as he did, making it clear he was, unlike Dimitri, not really scolding me.

Speaking of the Russian in the room he was burning holes through my head as his palms gripped the counter on the opposite side of Adrian. _What the hell was this guy's problem with me?_ He didn't say a word so I figured it was up to Adrian and I to make conversation.

"It's a bit early for lunch, wouldn't you say?"

"Not for someone whose day is already way longer than it should be."

"What happened?"

"What makes you ask that?", he questioned, glancing at me as he took out a plate filled with raw stakes from the fridge and placed it on the counter next to the stove.

"Well, I'm guessing you wouldn't have had a long day unless some trouble found you."

"Trouble always finds me", he chuckled, focusing back on his task, "But mostly I find it. Either way, sleeping in is a luxury when you are running an empire."

"An empire? That's a tad bit excessive for just one club", I teased him, innocently batting my lashes and hoping he'd take the bait. He did take it, but way differently than I thought.

"If you are interested in what I do aside from running a club, just ask Rose", he smirked, showing me I was not even close to fooling him.

"Okay. Fine. So what do you do?"

Dimitri cleared his throat and pointedly stared at Adrian whose eyes flew up to meet his chocolate ones in an instant. It almost seemed like they were having a telepathic conversation or perhaps even a battle for a few moments. Either way, Dimitri lost and retreated - quite literally.

"I'll go make the rounds", he muttered and then took his frowny face out of the room.

"What do I do?", Adrian parroted, pondering slightly before he added, "Aside the club, I run a casino. I aid the import, export and moving of various types of products and things. I meddle in some finances. And offer up protection."

"So, basically, aside from owning two places you distribute contraband, commit fraud or participate in gambling and loan sharking and you racketeer people who have no other options?"

"You really lack some poeticality in your phrasing", he laughed, but indulged me with: "Yes, that is mostly what I do."

"Well, you really have your plate full, don't you?"

"Thus, the long day", he replied making an overly serious expression at his words.

He turned to place the steaks in the frypan and I suddenly became very aware of the fact that there was a gigantic knife lying right next to where I leaned on the counter and that Adrian carelessly kept his back to me. _I could kill him_. Naturally, I wouldn't make it far before Dimitri or McCall tore me to pieces, but I _could_ kill their boss. Not that I thought that I had it in me to actually murder someone, but if I did he was really making it easy for me. Perhaps he was just aware that I was too frightened to attempt something like that. Or he thought that I wouldn't be stupid or desperate enough to try it. Or, maybe, he really thought I'd accepted that he was my only ally.

I had no idea if he had eyes on the back of his head, if he could read minds or if there was some other supernatural way of him knowing things that nobody should, but seconds later he spoke up, without even turning to face me: "Try it."

"W-what?", I stammered out, completely caught off guard.

"Try to attack me."

"I wasn't-", I started, but he interrupted me quickly with a sharp order.

"Try it."

I swallowed hard, feeling drawn to obey despite knowing it was most likely a terrible idea. I picked up the knife, throwing all of my weight at him as I aimed for his back. It all happened in a nanosecond, but one thought still managed to cross my mind - _he wasn't going to move_. But he did, when the tip of the knife almost plunged into him, he moved. Before I could even comprehend what was going on, my back hit the fridge, his fingers wrapped around my wrist and his body pressed into mine. He knocked the knife out of my hand and it hit the tiles with a loud ring. His emerald eyes fixed mine so intensely that I became paralyzed even without him holding me in place with his legs and arms.

"You can't hesitate. If you are going to try to kill someone, you have to do it quick and you have to be more than decisive about it. Hesitating gets you killed."

"I-I wasn't trying to kill you", I breathed out, feeling dizzy all of a sudden.

He ignored my words and continued with: "Your hold on the weapon was off. You made it easy for me to disarm you. And you move too loudly."

"Why are you-?"

"Rose", he cut in, shifting so that his lips winded up inches away from mine, making the moment more charged than I'd ever expected, "It's time you grew up and learned how to protect yourself. It'd really be a shame if you died. And who better to teach you than the people who've been playing this game way longer than you have?"

I was silent, which was a rare occurrence for me and Adrian's face shifted to a strange expression as he lifted his free hand and tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear. _Was he going to kiss me?_ It certainly seemed like he was. And then the pressure was gone and he was leaning on the counter behind him while I stayed glued to my spot, breathing heavily. _Did I really just think about my kidnapper kissing me_? Talk about an extreme case of Stockholm syndrome.

"I'm sorry I'm interrupting", Mason spoke up making me freeze.

I didn't even notice him standing there. Adrian unlike me didn't jump up at the sound of another person joining the conversation which made it clear he had way better observational skills than I did. Guess that explained the whole knife ordeal.

"But there is-", Mason continued before Adrian lifted his hand to stop him.

"I know. Escort him to the living room. Tell him to wait."

Mason skedaddled while I took a few uncertain steps forward. Adrian scanned me, in a way that made me feel like he could see what was underneath my skin before he said: "Do you cook?"

Just like that. It was crazy how quickly he could switch from one topic or mood to another. He did it with such ease yet he made me feel like I was on a rollercoaster ride that just never ended.

"I dabble in it."

"Right", he chuckled, checking on the steaks before he opened a drawer and gave me a new knife, "Finish the salad then, will you?"

 **POV: Sydney**

Six days, twelve hours and ten minutes. That was how long Rose had been missing. I think. I wasn't worried anymore. I was passed that. Now, I was just one hundred percent terrified. I winded up taking days off work for the first time ever. I just couldn't focus on anything but the fact that my best friend had vanished into thin air. I barely saw Brayden at all, between his work and my time spent at my new "favorite" place - the police station. When I'd come home he would already be sleeping. I envied him. I felt like I was running on caffeine solely since I could hardly keep my eyes shut for more than two or three hours.

"Will you please stop that?", Lissa voiced, interpreting my aimless pacing around the hall.

"Sorry", I huffed, going back to take my seat next to her, "I'm just-."

"I know", she cut in, rubbing her temples.

I'd known Lissa since we were kids. If there was one thing I could always say about her at any given moment was that she looked fabulous. She was one of those girls that could roll out of the bed and still look like she was going to a photoshoot. The seriousness of the situation could be easily explained then just by saying that she had bags under her eyes that she didn't bother covering with makeup, her hair was in knots and lacking its usual shine and her clothes would make Rose have a fit if she could see them. I knew she too was having trouble keeping up with work and seeing Aaron which, apparently, she handled even worse than I did.

"I just hope Janine doesn't end up having a heart attack", she mumbled as a muffled, but distinctive shout rumbled behind the door we were both staring at.

"I can't believe that there is nothing more that they can do."

"Yeah, how hard can it be to find one average young woman?", Lissa commented mockingly, attempting to grin at me.

"She's not exactly average", I chuckled, but I knew she was right.

A needle in a haystack. That was what Rose was to these people. Just one more name on the list of missing persons. To us she was so much more, but sadly that didn't change anything. The worst thing was that the more time passed the less chances they had of finding her and fiding her alive and well. Also, more and more details kept disappearing from our heads since everything was becoming a blurry, melted mess of what we thought about or suspected and what actually happened.

Someone walked into the office where Janine was talking to the detective working on Rose's case. As the door opened I heard him saying: "Detective Hathaway, we'd already called Mister Ozera a few times. The man has nothing useful left to tell us and his alibi checks out. He had no part in your daughter's disappearance."

When the door closed I felt restless again. I peered over at Lissa and mumbled: "I'm going to go get some coffee."

She just nodded and focused on her lap as I departed, strolling down the hallway. I was lost in my thoughts so much that I nearly barrelled through a man who was walking in the opposite direction. I managed to move out of the way at the last moment but our shoulders knocked and I quickly muttered an apology. He didn't say anything as he turned into the hallway left of the one I just came from.

Though I didn't even get a chance to see his face I was drawn to look at his back just before he disappeared into one of the offices. _Fancy suit for a cop_ , I thought as I tried to recall where I'd smelled the same cologne he was wearing. Maybe Brayden had it, but I was certain I'd remember such a thing.

"This is outrageous", Janine growled as she strode towards me with Lissa almost running behind her, "How incompetent can a man be? I would love to meet the idiot who gave him a badge."

I jumped at the sudden clamor and turned to face them as they quickly approached me. She was beside herself as much as she was every day we'd come here. If they didn't get any leads soon I think she would burn the entire building to the ground.

"Come on girls", she said, her voice calming and some of the fury leaving her as she glanced at Lissa and me, "I'll take you home."

"We came with my car", Lissa reminded her as she dangled her keys.

"Right", Janine confirmed, her mind remaining sunk into whatever plans she was making next.

I had to say I admired her. She hadn't stopped for a second since her plane touched the ground. Not that I was surprised by that. Janine Hathaway was a fierce woman and it was her daughter that was missing after all. I knew she wouldn't rest until Rose was found and brought back home and she would reign hell down on whomever had the courage to take her. Not that they knew who they were messing with necessarily, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the idea that this was the work of someone trying to get back at Janine didn't cross my mind.

"I'll let you know if I find something. You two should get back to normal as much as you can. Rose wouldn't want you to-."

She stopped since... well, there were really not many words left to say. Normal was not an option, not until all of this was over, whenever that may be. She ended up adding "stay safe" as a goodbye before she indecisively picked a direction and took off.

"We will", I reassured her, but I didn't think she even heard me.

Lissa and I headed towards her car in silence. It wasn't until we were both clipping our seatbelts in place that she finally asked: "Do you wanna come to my place? Aaron's not home and I could use some company."

"Sure. Yeah."

As she pulled out of the parking spot my eyes wandered to the rearview mirror. I hated seeing the backseat empty. I hated it so much that I wanted to rip out that damn mirror and toss it through the window, even though Lissa would kill me for it. I just wanted... I wanted to look at it and see Rose sprawled over the seat like she owned it, with that big, intoxicating grin of hers and those locks that she kept toying with because she was bored when she was cooped up in a vehicle. I wanted her there. I wanted her home.

 **POV: Rose**

I tried to remember whether Adrian had maids. I was almost sure he did. I think he even had a cook. _So where the hell were those people all of a sudden?_ While I was, per Adrian's request, setting the table, I kept peering into the living room since the doors of the dining room were left opened. It was time for me to stop wondering if Adrian did something accidently or carelessly. The man did everything for a reason, it just sometimes took time to figure out the why of it all.

Even when he and his guest moved out of the living room and into the hallway I still couldn't make out what they were saying, but their body language made it clear that this new guy was as intimidated by Adrian as everyone I'd seen before him. Well, everyone except for Dimitri. Then again, the two of them had an odd relationship I had yet to figure out. They shook hands and the man departed while Adrian returned as if we were never interrupted.

"So, what was that about?", I asked and upon receiving a brow lift added, "You said I should just ask if I want to know something, didn't you?"

"True", he chuckled, fixing the napkins I'd sloppily folded, "My dear policeman friend came to hand me some notes and evidence from the investigation regarding your disappearance as I'd asked him to do this morning. I believe that answers both your current and earlier question."

"Wait, he's a cop?"

"Mhm."

"A dirty cop", I huffed, feeling my skin crawl, "Fantastic."

"Oy, that's a little harsh, wouldn't you say?"

"Harsh? He is on the payroll of a mafia boss. Dirty doesn't begin to cover it."

"Hah, mafia boss!", Adrian laughed loudly, "That's quite a way to view me."

"Is there another way?", I challenged, following him into the kitchen to get the food.

"Well, I'd like to think of myself as an entrepreneur."

"Does anyone else?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised", he replied with a devilish grin.

Just as we brought the food to the table Dimitri reappeared looking even less pleased to see me than before. He began talking to Adrian in Russian, excluding me from the conversation in the most irritating way I could think of. I didn't even pay attention to the number of plates that I was left to set, but as I had nothing better to do I let my eyes wander over the table and became perfectly aware of the number three that made it damn clear I was in for quite a comfy "family" meal. Lucky me.

 _They were staring at me_. I'd realized it moments after they began doing it. I glanced between the two of them in confusion before I exclaimed: "What?"

Dimitri mumbled out more foreign words before Adrian spoke up: "Your friends really know how to make your situation even worse for you, huh?"

"What about my friends?"

"First, I see them at the police station and now, I hear one of them has been running their mouth off to some people who I really don't want breathing down my neck."

"You saw them?", I asked, completely ignoring everything else he had said.

"I ran into the nerdy looking one, yes", he confirmed as he sat down and Dimitri followed him, "You know, she looks very familiar. Is she a stripper or a prostitute? I can totally picture her as a naughty schoolgirl or a sexy professor."

"Bah", I burst, almost falling over at Adrian's words, "No, nope, she is not a stripper or a-hah-a prostitute. I thought you knew everything about everyone."

"Only when it comes to people that interest me. And she still doesn't."

"You don't want to know everything about the person who's leaking information to your enemies?", I challenged as I took my seat and began filling my plate.

"I didn't say it was her that was doing it", Adrian calmly pointed out, underlining what we both knew to be a fact.

"Who then?"

"That's enough questions for today."

That was it. His painfully obvious way of letting me know I wasn't getting anything more out of him for now. Not that I wasn't satisfied by what I'd learned so far, but I hated thinking about any of my friends getting involved with the wrong people, intentionally or not. Especially because I could already guess it was Lissa since, bless her heart, she really was bad at keeping secrets. The important question was: _Who the hell was she talking to?_

* * *

 **Heyya! Happy New Year! I hope y'all are enjoying your holidays even though they are almost over for most :( Also, since my updates come on Saturdays, I'd like to wish Merry Christmas in advance to all of you who are Orthodox and celebrating it in two days! I hope you'll have a blast (I know I will :D)!**

 **Anyhow, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter (as always let me know your thoughts on it in the reviews) and I hope to "see" y'all for the next update especially since *mini spoiler* it'll contain one of my favourite Romitri moments so far (though I have many favourites that'll come later in the story)!**

 **Kisses, T!**

 **Songs: Ain't no rest for the wicked - Cage the Elephant, Bad Man - Blue Saraceno**


	9. CH9 - The Dream Team

**POV: Dimitri**

" _Keep going boys! We have one more truck on the way", the bearded guy hollered as I threw the sack I was carrying down and wiped sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand._

 _ **You're doing this for them. You're going this shitty job for your family**_. _I had to keep reminding myself of that so I wouldn't say "to hell with this" and take off. After all, it was far better than some other "employments" I had to take so I really shouldn't have been complaining._

" _Move", somebody growled and I noticed a man stumbling slightly as he tried to get out of the way of a clearly pissed off guy who looked more like a bulldog than a human being._

 _The stumbling didn't stop though, so he winded up almost falling over me as I moved to get another sack. I instinctively grabbed him, steadying him on his feet as he breathed out unevenly. His blond hair was so damp that it stuck to every single piece of his skin it could reach and, as he turned, he desperately tried to push it away which only resulted in an even bigger mess._

" _Sorry. I didn't mean to-."_

" _It's fine", I cut in, impatient to get back to work so I wouldn't get on the bosses bad side._

" _Thanks", he added, his lips tugging into a small smile which made his deep blue eyes look a shade lighter._

 _I nodded and surpassed him, diving back into the truck. After what seemed like a lifetime, the last of the shipment was unloaded and the bearded man blew into a whistle to get our attention. We all patiently waited for him to hand us what little we had earned before we were free to go._

 _My muscles were burning, but I still threw my jacket on so I'd avoid catching a cold. I couldn't afford to be sick. Being sick meant I was less productive. Being less productive meant I would get even less income and that would be the end of me. I tucked the money into the inside pocket of my jacket before zipping up and heading towards the station. Usually I'd walk, saving the money I'd spend on tickets because every penny counted, but now I was in the middle of nowhere so it wasn't exactly an option if I was ever going to make it back to the shelter in time._

 _I glanced at the clock hanging on the entrance of the station and slowed down. I still had plenty of time before the train would take off so there was no need for me to keep walking like I had a pack of stray hounds at my heels. I picked a bench that was positioned close to the platform and was one of the rare empty ones. I fixed my eyes on the rails and zoned out until somebody decided it was a good idea to plop down next to me._

 _I peered to the side and saw the blond guy from earlier smiling at me as he said: "Do you mind?"_

 _Even if I did, I wasn't going to say it. That would be arrogant and rude. I attempted a polite expression while I responded with: "No."_

 _That was the best I could do, but it seemed to be good enough for him. He leaned back and cracked his head to the side, absentmindedly rubbing his cheek where it was dirtied by coal. He didn't take the smudge off, but I knew it would disappear after a proper shower. I had experience in the matter._

" _Oh, I almost forgot", he suddenly spoke up again, turning to offer me his hand, "So, how is the guy who saved me from embarrassment called?"_

" _Dimitri Belikov", I replied, shaking his hand a bit lazily since every movement ached._

" _I'm Ivan. Ivan Zeklos."_

Someone banged on the door and I jumped up in the bed, grabbing the gun from underneath my pillow in an instant. It took me a second or two to remember where I was. I cleared my throat and shouted: "What?"

"Adrian wants to see you in his office in twenty minutes", McCall replied through the door before the sound of his footsteps tapered down the hall.

I sighed, running my hand through my hair as my frantic heartbeat slowed. I kicked my blanket away and rolled my legs over the edge of the bed, taking the time to ease myself to lucidness since McCall didn't give me that luxury. I stripped and headed towards the shower. I decided it was time for me to shave so, once I was done showering, I opened the door to let the steam out and ran my palm over the foggy mirror to clear it so I could see what I was doing. My mind wandered as I slowly slid the blades of the razor over my chin. I tried picking what to wear, thinking of the contents of my closet. It was getting crowded in there. I had too many clothes, far more than I needed. I used to own a couple of torn and washed out shirts, two pairs of jeans, one jacket and one pair of boots. That was it. And I made it work. I'd learned to use what I had to the maximum and that habit followed me to this very day. I cringed every time Adrian got the maids to throw away what he found unwearable and it was safe to say his standards were extremely high. I was unwilling to be wasteful which was the reason I made a deal with him to have our old things given to the people who needed them more than he could ever comprehend. Adrian grew up in wealth, but I didn't, so I knew damn well how important one single shirt could be.

When I was on my way to Adrian's office I glanced down the hallway to see if Rosemarie's door was open. I didn't exactly know why I felt the need to check if she was awake. Actually, I didn't know why I was so obsessed with her whereabouts in the first place. Not that knowing where she was and what she was doing wasn't partially my job, but Adrian did point out a few times that I shouldn't waste so much of my energy on it. She wasn't going anywhere and I wasn't the only guard on the premises.

It was pretty early so as expected the door to Rosemarie's room was closed shut. Judging by her affinities towards sleeping she was most likely still pretty comat—.

"Oy, Comrade, don't stomp all over us short people", she exclaimed as we collided, cutting my thoughts short, "It's not my fault I'm not a giant like you."

I glanced down her body, seeing she was wearing a robe over her pajama bottoms and tank top. The robe was too big on her and I instantly recognized it as one of my old and unused ones. I didn't give it to her which only left Adrian as an option. I frowned as I pondered on why he had chosen to lend her my clothes when he had plenty of his own. While I was lost in my thoughts she gave me an odd look that had me narrowing my eyes at her and questioning: "What are you doing here?"

A mix of surprise and annoyance crossed her face before she replied: "Well, forgive me for needing to drink some water every once in a while."

I was about to point out she could have drank it from the tap in her bathroom, but decided against it. I had been very hard on her since the moment we'd meet and suddenly I felt a pang of guilt over it. I wasn't exactly the nicest person on the planet, but that was no excuse for acting like a complete asshole towards her. The worst part was, I had no idea why I behaved in such a way around her. _Precaution_? _Defence_? _Maybe a small sign of my grandmother's gift of foretelling resurfacing from my subconscious_?

Rosemarie studied me for a few more moments before she moved to the side and brushed by meme, thumping down the hall and back to her room without another word. I uneasily continued on my way and soon enough entered Adrian's office. I didn't even remember to knock and for a moment I almost backed away, thinking about the last time I rushed in there and found him with a girl between his legs and a rail of cocaine quickly disappearing up his nose. Adrian and I might have become close over time, but not close enough for me to ever feel comfortable with either of those things.

Luckily, he was not up to such extravagances today. Instead he was sitting on the window-sill, one of his legs dangling from it and the other firmly set on the floor inside. He was holding a steaming cup of coffee and slowly nodding his head to the rhythm of the song playing from his stereo. He looked surprisingly relaxed for a change and heaven help me he was wearing a tracksuit.

"Morning", he spoke up while his eyes remained set on something in the garden.

"To what do I owe the wake up call?", I chuckled, his mood somehow managing to set me at ease as well.

"I was thinking of going for a run", he said as he climbed back in and sipped on his coffee, "I thought you might want to join me."

"Sure. Let me change."

He just nodded and headed towards the door, handing me the hot drink as he instructed: "Feel free to finish it. We ran out, so this is the last cup. I'll meet you downstairs."

Apparently, Adrian had forgotten that our fridge and cupboards didn't magically fill up on their own. His decision to send most of our staff on a prolonged vacation seemed rash at first, but judging by how fast the word about Rosemarie's kidnapping was spreading along with the rumors of her bloodline, it was probably for the best. There weren't many people you could trust nowadays and Adrian made it a habit of trusting almost no one. It was what kept him alive since he was a child. We needed to keep a lid on things until we could figure out how exactly we wanted everything to unfold. I knew he was already three steps ahead of everyone, but he wouldn't be satisfied until he left them all in a cloud of dust behind him.

After a quick change of clothes, I used the same technique McCall did to wake Ashford and then made it to the front of the house. I found Adrian sitting on the stairs. He looked up at me with a small, but challenging smile and said: "Race me to the gates?"

"I thought you would have learned your lesson the last time?", I teased as I began rolling my shoulders and pulling my knees up one after the other.

He jumped to his feet and jogged in place, giving me a little smirk as he went into his dramatic mood and exclaimed: "I want a chance to regain my honor. Am I undeserving of it?"

I kneeled in front of the steps and angled my foot against the marble, getting ready to take off. He quickly mirrored my stance, counting down from three. We propelled forward reaching high speed as fast as our bodies allowed us. We both knew the grounds by heart - every shortcut, every hole in the ground, every obstacle. We didn't slow down, not even once so by the time the gates appeared before us I could feel my lungs burning. Adrian was right next to me, matching my pace to perfection, but I knew that if I pushed myself just a little bit harder I'd beat him again. It was still admirable how someone who inhaled the minimum of twenty cigarettes a day, drank like there was no tomorrow and had many other disastrous habits could stay in such good shape. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was holding back a little though. I'd also be lying if I didn't admit that I paused for less than a second just before we slammed against the iron gates in order to let him win.

He began coughing the minute he bent down and tried to regain control over his breathing. He was in shape, yes, but I did mention plenty of vices that would always catch up with him at some point.

"Well", he huffed, rotating to lean against the gate, "Thanks for. Saving me. From embarrassment. Again."

I froze, my muscles tensing and my smile crumbling in a blink. It was a harsh enough reaction to draw attention. Adrian's eyes raced to mine as he carefully asked: "Are you okay?"

"Mhm", I mumbled, but all I could picture were deep blue eyes in the place of his emerald ones.

"I'll take that as a no", he breathed out, straightening up, "But I won't pry, so let me take your mind off whatever it is. I have some news."

"Do tell", I prompted, shaking my arms out to loosen up a little.

"Wilket called. He agreed on the time and place with the Ricci's. It's tonight, but there is a problem that I didn't see coming and that, quite frankly, pissed me the hell off."

"The fact that you didn't see it coming or that there is a problem?"

"Both. The first one maybe even more", he laughed humorlessly, "Apparently, Andrea doesn't think I'm worth his time so he's sending two of his men instead."

"You want me to go with you?"

"Actually, I want you to go without me", he exclaimed, making me look up at him in wonder, "Bring Rose. I think you two could use some bonding time. And regardless of Andrea's absence, we still need to make sure he knows about the advantage we've talked about."

I barely held back a groan at the mention of me going anywhere with Rosemarie, especially alone. We could hardly talk to each other for longer than five minutes without becoming awkward or annoyed by one another, let alone do something this important. I didn't want it to seem like I was disobeying Adrian though, since we'd already had our fair share of disagreement over her. I didn't want him to think that I was falling out of line. So, instead, I tried making a different kind of countermove.

"You think she'll play along?"

"She will", he reassured me confidently, "The two of us are becoming fast friends. Also, I'll give her a reason to want to do it."

"What reason?", I asked, not liking the sound of it.

"You'll see."

 **POV: Rose**

It seemed like a sound plan. It also instantly had me thinking about how I'd be able to breathe in fresh air at last. I was actually pretty excited about it which just proved how odd my situation was. However, all of that didn't mean I wasn't going to bargain for more than just a chance for a stroll. Adrian needed me to play along since he couldn't exactly drag me somewhere kicking and screaming without embarrassing himself over the fact that he couldn't tame one, little, harmless lady. Not that I viewed myself in that way, not even close, but it was useful playing a damsel in distress sometimes.

"What do I get in return?", I questioned, crossing my arms over my chest.

I thought Adrian would at least be a bit surprised, but apparently he was completely ready for at least some demands. He nonchalantly pulled out his cellphone and shook it while saying: "You get a phone call. You can call whomever you want and talk about whatever you want, except where you are, who you are with and anything related to Ibrahim and my plans for you."

So far I'd picked up on Adrian's habit to be the agreeable one and his desire to be generous in any way his position allowed. He could be charmed more easily. Not that he was stupid or anything. On the contrary, he was too smart for _my_ own good. He just had more faith in me than Dimitri did. Truthfully, his trust wasn't misplaced for now. I really wasn't planning to try to escape since it would most likely get me killed either by Adrian's men or somebody else's. Still, when I pushed out my next words I was certain there was no way he was going to allow more even if he continued to ignore Dimitri's enraged expression.

"That doesn't leave me many topics to discuss. "

"Take it or leave it Rose. I won't give you a better offer."

"Fine. I'm in."

"Well, that was easy", Adrian smirked, going back to his usual cocky ways.

"Give me a finger and I'll sneak up to the whole hand. You won't see me coming, Handsome."

"She thinks I'm handsome", he exclaimed, pretending he was about to swoon.

"We have a meeting to get to", Dimitri grumbled impatiently. _He was all work and no play, all the time_.

"Right. Spread your wings Little Bird. It's time you learned how to be a part of our world", Adrian chuckled, before he gave Dimitri a more sober expression.

These guys were good and I mean really good. I guess that explained how they got their hands on me so quickly and easily. I was ushered into a car before I could even figure out what was what and we left soon after Dimitri's and Adrian's debate about handcuffing me. Clearly, Adrian won since I was sure the giant nuisance was all about tying people up and not in a fun way. We were riding with Eddie, who took the passenger's seat, and Mason, who stayed in the back with me. There was another car following us close behind and I began wondering if it was stupid of me to agree to this meet and greet judging by the amount of armed men in my presence.

Mason kept a steady grip on the back of my neck, pushing me down so I couldn't see where we were going until we reached a safe distance from Adrian's house. Not that that knowledge would have helped me in any way. I stared out the window after I was allowed up just to for the heck of it, but we were driving down a highway with little to see passed the lanes so I got bored pretty fast.

"Is the radio working?", I questioned after twenty minutes of silence.

"Yes", Dimitri responded, keeping his eyes on the road as I looked at his reflection in the rearview mirror.

"Could you turn it on then?"

"No."

 _Well, that was a waste of breath_. I fell back against the seat and sighed, meeting Mason's supportive smile. _Maybe I wasn't the only one annoyed by the driver_. Mason quickly looked away though and I didn't blame him. I was not worth getting fired over.

After the drive from hell was over we were parked in what I figured were the furthest outskirts of the city next to a block of buildings that looked like they were once a part of some factory or something, but were now abandoned. The men exited the car and I, for once, exercised patience, waiting to be let out. Truthfully, I only did it because I was scared shitless already. This was the kind of place where murders happened in movies and most likely in real life too. To my surprise it was Dimitri who decided to be the gentleman, opening the door for me and even offering me his hand to help me out. I took it, deciding this wasn't the time to be stubborn.

He mumbled something into his headset and gave orders to Mason and Eddie before he gestured me to follow him into a questionable looking alley between the two buildings closest to us. I looked at the men heading the other way and pushed out: "We're not going with them?"

"No. We're going around the back. There's another way in."

He seemed totally unfazed by the creepiness of the atmosphere as we walked down the dark road. I would jump at the slightest of sounds while he kept his pace even without bothering to turn towards the noise. _That was probably because he had a gun and most likely some sort of military training to save him_ , my mind supplied, _and you have no one and nothing to save you but him right about now_. I suddenly had a burning desire to talk so I'd avert my mind from the panic that was beginning to form in it which was why I winded up blurting out: "And why isn't Adrian doing this?"

"He doesn't like to get his hands dirty", he simply responded as we turned the corner and walked towards the open space behind the factory.

"So you do his dirty work instead?"

"Yes", he shot back. _He truly was a man of few words_.

"Well, that's not fair", I commented as he peered at the gaping hole on the back of the building which was probably the other entrance that he had mentioned. I scanned the bricks above us wondering if they'd all collapse if somebody slammed their fists against the wall a little harder. This construction was probably ancient enough to get knocked down by a stronger breeze. Dimitri started nearing the hole and I tried to catch up, since I'd fallen out of step with him, while I continued: "I mean, he is basically using you."

He stopped so abruptly that I barely managed to avoid knocking into him. He twirled around and towered over me, his expression showing a frightening dose of anger. _Looks like I struck a nerve._

"You don't know the first thing about him or me", he spat through gritted teeth, "Adrian's done more for me than anyone in this Godforsaken shithole of a world. I owe him everything and I'm more than willing to spend the rest of my life repaying him in any way he deems fit."

I swallowed hard before I managed to come up with what I hoped looked like an easy smile and exclaimed: "Alright, sheesh. No need to get so worked up, Comrade."

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Because I love seeing it annoy you."

It seemed like he was trying really hard not to roll his eyes at me. Instead, he just pointed at the hole and said: "Just keep your smart mouth shut while we're in there. Understood?"

"And deprive those lovely mobsters of my charm? Ah, fine. Have it your way", I teased, climbing up and jumping inside, dusting my hands off on my jeans.

"Have you ever even heard of stealth?", he muttered as he followed me in with way less noise than I made.

He instructed me to stay close as we passed through a few murky hallways and walked into a big, open space. Waiting for us there were two men who sat on chairs which they probably created out of thin air since there was not a damn thing around except for some garbage and one barrel that I figured somebody used as a fireplace by the looks of it. There wasn't a soul around either so their voices echoed pretty loudly as they stood up and greeted Dimitri.

"I'm surprised to see you without Ivashkov. He didn't want to attend?", one of the guys spoke up with a strong accent.

"No, Valentino, he is busy with other matters. Just like your boss."

 _One score for us bitches_ , I thought, actually feeling kind of proud about how quickly Dimitri shot down this Valentino dude. His companion, unlike me, seemed very displeased by it and his voice dripped with disgust as he pushed out: "We're here to talk business Belikov."

He had a bit of a southern drawl which made the gathering of dialects and accents in the place kind of comical. It also made him sound out of place next to the Italian dude. Not that his very presence didn't seem odd enough. To me he seemed more like a country bohunk than a mobster really, but hey... _who was I to judge_? I probably seemed more like a prima ballerina than a daughter of one of the toughest crime lords out there.

"And so we will Spiridon", Dimitri replied sharply and I instantly knew he disliked this guy even more than he disliked me. I guess I was no longer privileged in that department.

"Who is the donna?", Valentino asked, scanning me up and down.

Dimitri ignored him and instead looked at me while he instructed: "Miss Mazur, why don't you go and sit down?"

His eyes flew across the room to that barrel I'd noticed and landed on the half knocked down wall next to it. I barely managed not to cringe at his purposeful use of my father's surname and turned on my heel, walking away. I was here to be shown off, not to participate. Dimitri made that very clear. I had no idea if it was his own decision or if he'd agreed on it with Adrian, but either way he had no supervision here and no one to answer to at the moment.

I settled on the pile of crumbled bricks and waited as Dimitri engaged into some rather serious topic by the looks on the men's faces. He mostly talked to the energetic Italian who kept waving his hands in the air and talking before Dimitri even had a chance to shut his mouth. It was annoying him which made me extra happy. My happiness was short lived though since I soon felt someone's eyes on me. It was Spiridon. He was staring at me in a way that made my skin crawl. He barely looked away long enough to cut into the conversation going on in front of him.

At some point Valentino offered his hand to Dimitri and he took it, shaking it vigorously and potentially squeezing it more than he had to since Valentino seemed relieved to have his hand back afterwards, trying to discreetly rub it. Spiridon didn't shake hands with him, not that I thought Dimitri wanted to do it either. They left and Dimitri headed towards me, the frown on his forehead getting deeper by the second.

"So that's it, huh?", I asked when he got closer, "If I knew making deals with criminals was this easy I could have been a millionaire by now."

"None of this was easy, though I understand it may have looked that way to someone as clueless as you", he shot back bitterly and I took that as a sign of my sass paying off.

I hopped off the bricks and decided to ignore his comment since I had more important things to get to. I extended my hand with an open palm and impatiently stared up at him. With a sigh he produced a phone from his pocket and handed it to me.

"What am I, a drug dealer?", I mumbled as I turned the crappy, old phone in my hand.

"Be happy you're getting the phone after the _effort_ you've put into this night."

"I did as I was told, didn't I?", I argued, getting ready to type in a number.

I knew I didn't have a lot of time to think about who I wanted to call so I dialed the first person that crossed my mind. I wasn't surprised that I woke her. Normal people were comatose at this ungodly hour. Her voice was heavy with sleep and a bit cracked, but it was a music to my ears after a week of not hearing it despite the fact that she barely managed to push out one word: "Hello."

"Syd, it's me."

"Rose", she exclaimed, sounding wide awake in a blink, "Where are you? What's going on? Hang on, I'll call for help."

"Slow down. Don't call anyone", I said, seeing Dimitri tense at my words, "I'm okay."

"Okay? OKAY? Where the hell are you?", she growled into my phone so loudly even Dimitri heard her. He gave me a warning look, but I was already way ahead of him.

"That doesn't matter. Are you okay? And Lissa? Did somebody-, are you safe?"

"We're not the ones that are missing Rose", she exclaimed and I heard someone mumbling something in the background.

"Yes, it's her", she replied to them in a hushed voice before she turned her attention back to me, "Listen, Brayden's going to call the police and-."

"Sydney, I mean it, don't or you'll never hear from me again. My, um, _new friends_ were kind enough to allow me to talk to you, so let's just talk, please."

"Friends? You mean your kidnappers?"

"Exactly", I replied and my vague response caught Dimitri's attention enough to make him signal me to hurry it along.

"Do you know who they are?"

"Yes."

I was really walking the line here. One more word that Dimitri found suspicious and God only knew when I'd get a chance to talk to anyone ever again. Sydney was a smartass though, so she knew exactly what kind of questions to ask in order to get the most out of me.

"Is it someone I know?"

I was just about to answer her when Dimitri reached for my hand and tried taking the phone away. I gave him the most pleading expression I could come up with and whispered: "Just a few more seconds, please."

He froze with his palm covering mine and squeezed my fingers but didn't take the phone away just yet. Sydney obviously heard our exchange since the next thing she said was: "If we keep talking, I can get Trey to track your phone."

"Don't bother. I'll be long gone before that", I mumbled, remembering to add just a few more things while I still could, "I'm going to be okay Syd, I promise. I love you. Tell Lissa I love her too."

"No. Rose, don't go, Rose-", I heard her frantic voice blasting from the phone before Dimitri ripped it away from me and cut the line.

I wasn't paying that much attention to what he was doing while I was talking to Syd, but when he took out a lighter and threw it in the barrel next to us I realized he had prepared to start a fire in the meantime. Flames developed fast, licking the edges of the metal as they surged up. Dimitri turned the phone off and took it apart, tossing all of its pieces into the barrel. The flames sizzled as they sank to the bottom and I couldn't look away from the angry orange twirls. My eyes filled with tears and since I refused to try to wipe them away they soon spilled over my cheeks. Dimitri glanced up at me and for the first time his stone mask waivered. He opened his mouth to say something, but I quickly cut in: "It's because of the smoke. Are we leaving?"

"Yes", he replied, but this time his voice didn't sound as decisive and sharp as it did in the car earlier. Actually, it sounded like he was almost feeling sorry or even guilty for what I was going through.

I didn't want to be pitied though so I pulled my chin up high and defiantly stared at the flames for one more moment before I bit back: "Then let's go."

* * *

 **Hey y'all! I know everyone's been looking forward to seeing a bit of Romitri one-on-one and I hope this satisfies your thirst a little bit! Their dynamic is slowly, but surely changing and since we're a chapter away from the first quarter of the story (yes, this is going to be a hell of a long story) what I fell free to say (mini spoiler) is that once we're past chapter 10 (which will be a honest to God test for all Romitri super fans) the second quarter will contain a lot more Romitri and I have a few "gifts" stored in chapters 11-20 and a more than a few after 20! I just hope y'all are enjoying the story overall and that you're patient enough to let this slow-burn get to the juicy bits XD** **Also, per my usual style, I'm throwing in some flashbacks that will unrevealed Dimitri's and Adrian's past one step at a time! I hope they are fun to read!**

 **And now, because I feel like it's been too long since I've done this, I'd like to again thank the person behind the curtains - my lovely beta Megan (megamorr)! Y'all have no idea how many damn times this wonderful angel had to read each of the chapters I've posted so far and plenty of the ones still waiting to be posted! She's offered so much help, support and love that I feel confident to say you can all thank her this story is out here and being updated regularly! I couldn't have done this without you girl! Also, I'd like to give a HUGE shout out to her AMAZING story "Hopeless Wanderers"! If you still haven't read it, do yourselves a favour and just go read it, NOW!**

 **Lastly, thanks to everyone who has followed, favourited and reviewed this story so far! Getting feedback and support to keep at this means a lot! SO, readers, give yourselves a round of applause! "See" y'all next week!**

 **Kisses, T!**

 **Songs: A Little Faster - There For Tomorrow, If I Say - Mumford & Sons**


	10. CH10 - Gravestones and Lethal weapons

**POV: Adrian**

 _The harsh wind made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. Icy droplets fell onto my hands, ricocheting from the umbrella of the man that walked in front of me. It was surprisingly cold for a summer day, but I could still feel the choking humidity whenever I breathed in. Or maybe that was just my way of dealing with the fact that even such a simple task of taking in air seemed to be difficult for me at the moment. Lightning spiked through the dark sky and the thunder that followed made me jump up._

" _Calm your nerves boy", my father spat through his teeth, nudging me forward._

 _My feet felt heavy, but perhaps that was the rain's fault. It already soaked my shoes and socks no matter how hard I tried to step over the fast forming puddles in my path. I glanced up at my father's face, a stone cold mask. Did he even care that mom was... gone? She was gone._

 _I came to a halt and bent over, trying not to hurl even though my stomach was turning faster than a spin-dryer. My father didn't bother waiting for me and with him left the umbrella I was sheltered with so far. Rain hit my back mercilessly, droplets falling from my hair onto my lashes which made it even harder for me to see. I scratched at the tie that Torrie had adjusted for me earlier, remembering how her eyes became glossy when she told me that I looked like proper young gentleman now. I thought I would get drowned or washed away like the crumbles of mud that flowed down the hill with the small rivers that were created by the rain._

" _Oh, my sweet child", aunt Tatiana said as she rushed to put her umbrella over my head, "Look at you, you're drenched."_

" _I'm f-fine aunt Ta-ti", I stuttered as she threw someones jacket over me and hugged me to her side, rushing me towards the gravesight._

 _Everything was surreal. The priest, the coffin, the flowers, the people that had gathered around me, people who I didn't even know... all of it just completely unnatural. None of it should be here. I shouldn't be here. Yet there we all were, soaked and frozen, like the time just stopped and we were to be stuck in this nightmare forever. I wanted to be back home, in my warm bed, my mother tucking me in and kissing my forehead. She was never going to kiss my forehead again. I was never going to hear her laugh. Never eat her tomato soup when I got sick. Never see her again. Never._

 _Tears welled up in my eyes and no matter how hard I fought to keep them from spilling out, they still rolled over my cheeks almost effortlessly. Tati rubbed my shoulder, trying to soothe me the best she could given the situation. Her movement drew attention though and, before I knew it, my father's sharp gaze sliced through me. His lips morphed into a familiar shape that was telltale of his anger._

" _Men don't cry in this family Adrian", he snarled as I hiccuped from my desperate attempts to keep it all in._

Men don't. But I was just a boy. I shook my head to clear my mind as the car eased to a stop. The hushed rays of the setting sun hit the tinted window I was hidden behind. I slowly pushed the door open and glanced at McCall who was getting ready to follow me. I raised my palm to stop him and mumbled: "I'm good. Just wait for me here."

"But, Sir-."

"I said I'm good", I cut in, turning on my heel before he could protest further.

Dimitri would be allowed to follow me. He was the only one I ever let anywhere near me on days like this one, especially at this place. However, Dimitri had other things to tend to and I had to do this on my own, like I had for many years before he was around. I held onto a bouquet of roses that I was carrying like I was holding onto dear life as I made my way up the hill. My steps slowed the closer I got and I felt that familiar knot in my stomach tighten. When I stopped, I took a few calming breaths before I kneeled.

"Hey mom", I whispered as I carefully put the roses down, "I brought you your favorites."

A cold marble gravestone. I was talking to an inanimate object like a lunatic. Yet I hoped that she could still somehow hear me. _I'm not a boy anymore_ , I thought as I ran my fingers over the engravement and felt my throat close up. Years went by and it still hurt like a bitch to see those elegant, curvy letters and numbers that stood as a reminder of who I'd lost and when. And for what? Revenge? Business? _Fuck that_. She never did anything to anyone. My father had it coming and so did I. There was a bullet out there with my name on it, I was sure of it. It was just waiting to be released. I was fine with that. What I wasn't fine with and what I would never be fine with was that my mother was just collateral damage.

I glanced over to the gravestone next to hers and frowed. They never belong together - my mother and father. He could live a thousand more lives and never deserve her. He had no place next to her, yet in death there they were. Well, not really: she was in heaven if it existed and he was rotting in the deepest circles of hell. I was sure that I was more likely to see him again in the afterlife than her. That saddened me, because a day didn't go by without me missing her.

I got up and glanced at her name one more time before I departed. Two minutes - that was how long I could stay. Two fucking minutes. I hated it, but I knew that this was the place I was most vulnerable at. It was where anyone could be waiting to gut me and get some glory out of it. It was my only pattern, the most predictable thing I did time and time again.

As soon as I got in the car I was already sticking my head into the minibar. I could almost picture Dimitri frowning at me from the opposite seat so I went ahead and continued with the cycle of crazy by lifting a glass at the seat and smiling. Like on cue, my phone buzzed with a message from my dear cousin.

 _Everything in order?_

For someone who mostly had thoughts so deep you'd be wondering if he stole them from some serious literature, he could really dumb it down to shortest sentences one could utter from time to time. I shook my head and typed:

 _I'm still alive. When will you be back?_

 _Not for a few more hours_ was the response that ended our conversation, to both of our relief since I couldn't even pick who hated communicating like this more. The drive home went by slower than usual and I could hardly wait to get inside and make the world disappear. In that state of mind I had completely forgotten that I wasn't going to be alone. Actually, I was almost never alone, but my company tended to get out of my way and stay quiet when I was in a foul mood. With one single exception as of late.

"It's about damn time", Rose cried as I naively strolled into the living room expecting it to be empty, "I was about to die of boredom."

"Dramatic much?", I asked, seeing her brow quirk.

"Coming from you, that's kind of like a compliment", she teased as she rolled off the couch and walked up to me, "So, where have you been?"

"Is this how this is going to be? You wait for me at home, full of questions about my whereabouts. You could have at least made me lunch like a proper housewife."

"Did you just call me a housewife?", she exclaimed as I poured myself a drink and eyed the other glasses.

And then I asked her something unexpected: "Would you like to get hammered with me, Darling?"

 **POV: Rose**

Adrian had nice hair. When you looked at it, probably because of how "orderly messy" it always was, you never would have guessed how soft and slick it was to the touch. It was thick, yet there were no knots in it like the ones I battled on a daily basis. I could easily twirl a strand around my finger and watch it slide off without resistance, the shine of the lamp that illuminated it breaking over it in a wave. I didn't think I'd ever paid so much attention to anyone's hair. Then again, I hadn't been this tipsy this early in the evening since... well, it had been a while.

"And then I had to jump from the window", Adrian continued as he looked up at me from my lap where his head was resting, "I was on the second floor."

"Seriously?", I exclaimed, my hand stilling in his hair as I tried to envision how jumping from a height like that could feel, "Probably scary as fuck."

"What?"

"Did I say that out loud?", I chuckled as a grin spread over his face.

He nodded and then opened his mouth, his eyes fixing on the bottle I took a sip from. I stared at him wide-eyed before I warned: "You'll choke."

"Nah, I've had practice drinking from literally any position a human body could take."

"Bragger", I chuckled as I poured the drink into his mouth, spilling a little so it winded up dripping down his chin.

He swallowed and then wiped the excess of the drink with his palm, rolling his eyes at me as he commented: "Your aim is terrible. I hope to God nobody ever puts a firearm in your hands."

"I'm a quick study though", I mumbled, thinking about how it'd feel to actually shoot a gun.

"I find that hard to believe", he laughed so I closed my fingers around his hair and tugged it in warning.

"You watch it Mister. I'm sure I'd pick it up in no time if you showed me."

"I might be tempted to test that theory."

It was a bad idea. I knew it was a bad idea despite the amount of alcohol coursing through my blood. Yet, I couldn't stop my mouth from moving and uttering words I'd probably live to regret: "So test it."

"Now?"

"Yeah, why not?", I asked as he rolled up into a sitting position and blinked at me a few times.

"I don't think we're sober enough to be wielding lethal weapons."

"Well, if I was sober, I wouldn't have the guts to do it so we better use this rare opportunity", I babbled out, waiting for him to make the final decision.

He mulled the idea over, but apparently he didn't need too much convincing. He pushed himself up and offered me a hand to help me to my feet. He wordlessly took of towards the hallway and I basically had to run to catch up to him. Well, if what I was doing could be called running since the entire room spun when I got up and it took me a while to find my balance again. We reached his office and he pushed his finger into a hole in the knob. _How did I not fucking notice he had a fingerprint scanner on the knob? How fucking cool was that?_ Before I knew it my mouth moved on its own again and I asked a question I didn't even realize was on my mind: "How does Dimitri get into your office?"

"Same way", he replied as the door clicked open, "He's the only one with access aside from me."

"Hah", I mumbled as we got inside, stopping to wait for him by the door since I figured he wasn't going to start shooting all over this place.

He reached his table and opened one of the drawers, taking out something that looked like a credit card. _Oh, a key card_. Slamming the drawer shut, he walked across his office in a few slightly shaky strides and came back to stand beside me, offering: "My lady, shall we?"

"Hell yeah", I replied as I grabbed his hand in excitement and allowed him to pull me after him.

We headed back downstairs and then through the front door. We ran into Eddie who was just about ready to step inside as we tumbled out. He scanned us both up and down clearly fighting hard to keep amusement off his face. Adrian's expression showed he attempted to be deathly serious as he spoke to Eddie, but he was failing miserably.

"Mister Castile, if a-, if Belikov gets back before I do, tell him... tell him I went to practice _stuff_."

"Yes Sir", Eddie replied formally, nodding like he knew perfectly well what his task was but, in reality, probably having no idea what exactly Adrian wanted him to pass as a message to Dimitri.

Adrian dragged me away and I burst into a fit of giggles that echoed all across the yard. We half-ran to a structure that looked like a smaller version of his house and Adrian almost broke its door when he tried to unlock it. We slipped inside and he pressed me against a wall, leaning on me as he blindly tapped somewhere next to my head, obviously trying to find a light switch. When the darkness was chased away, he smiled down at me since our closeness played into his height advantage. He had a nice smile too. He was nice. As those rising thoughts circled my mind I realized I might have been tipsier than I would've liked to admit.. _He is your kidnapper Rose, pull your shit together_. My warnings to myself might have momentarily applied to my brain, but my body kept reacting to him, basically telling my brain "screw you". Luckily, he pushed himself away from the wall, beckoning me to follow him to one of the booths and in that way removed the temptation from my traitorous body for a little while.

"Why is it so cold in here?", I mumbled, rubbing my arms as he stepped aside to allow me to stand by him.

"Because it's concrete and steal all over", he explained as he stripped his jacket and loosened his tie, "But don't worry, you'll get warmed up soon."

Shoulder holsters - so that was why he always wore something over his shirt. I wondered how I'd never noticed a bulge in his tight fitting suits, but then again, I guess the whole point was to hide your weapons underneath your clothes. _Weapons underneath clothes, HA!_ , I thought snickering into my chin.

"Come on Giggles", Adrian laughed, taking out his gun and cocking it back, "Let's see what I can teach you."

He stepped behind me and hugged my waist, pulling me flush against his chest. He pressed his gun to my stomach and I could feel the coldness of the barrel even through my shirt. It made me shiver, but it also kind of made a rush of warmth spread over my body. It was an odd sensation. After a few seconds, he lifted the gun up and gave it to me. I carefully wrapped my fingers around it and he placed his over mine.

"Don't I get earmuffs or something?"

"Then how will you hear my instructions?", he mumbled, his breath tickling my neck, "Besides, you don't get to wear earmuffs when you're out there. You need to get used to the sound of guns. That way they won't startle you."

"Right."

"Is this your dominant hand?", he questioned, tapping his fingers over mine.

"Mhm."

"Good. Now-", he started saying, but soon lost my attention since I became distracted by something other than his words. I did catch a part or two, enough to be able to pretend that I was listening to him the entire time. I kept nodding, but my mind began losing the battle against my body now that we were so close to each other again. Actually, it wasn't only losing the battle. It was fucking joining the other army. _What? You're bored and he's hot. So what if you enjoy being pressed against his surprisingly tight muscles and the other "weapon" underneath his clothes_.Another chuckle escaped me and he stopped talking, tilting his head to the side to take a look at my face.

"You didn't catch a word I just said, did you?"

I bit my lips and gave him my sweetest _guilty_ look eliciting a deep laugh from him. It rumbled through his chest and vibrated through my body, catching on like a disease. I tried to get my voice under control as I pushed out: "Just show me. And I'll copy what you did."

"Okay, you need to-", he started as he positioned my hand and squeezed my fingers a bit too much. The gun fired off and we both froze. He wasn't kidding, the noise was loud enough to not only startle me, but to make me want to jump out of my skin.

After some initial shock, my thoughts flowed back through my head and I winded up pushing out an unexpected tease: "Shot too soon?"

"Well, that happens... never."

"That's okay Sweetie. You can always find other ways to please me", I babbled out, my tongue still working faster than my brain.

"Oh, I know plenty of ways to please you _Sweetie_ ", he whispered, making my skin tingle which made me regret my decision not to wear a bra underneath my shirt.

Dimitri's choice of my clothes was, at best, odd. He brought me a bunch of sweatshirts that I'd usually only wear at home and very little of the things that I'd take out into the public, like the shirt and skirt that I opted for today. The bigger problem than the variety though was that I had a very limited amount of them so I had to decrease their use as much as possible. Since I only had two bras and I was mostly alone all day I thought, what the hell, let my boobs fly free. Now, that was a problem. A problem that didn't escape Adrian's notice.

His fingers uncurled from mine and traced a wavy pattern down my arm as my hand shook. _I shouldn't be turned on. I shouldn't... oh hell_! I was hoping his effect on me would become less obvious, but the universe obviously had a different idea. By the time his fingers reached my shoulder, combined with the warm puffs of air his mouth shot at the back of my neck and the alcohol still coursing through my body, my nipples popped out of my shirt like two marbles.

"I think you don't need me to show you how to shoot though", he said as the hand he rested on my waist tightened and the other one slipped underneath my arm and over my ribs, "You can do it. It's probably in your blood. Just let it come to you."

He didn't give a shit about me getting this right. He too became distracted. Even more than I did earlier. He paused for a moment, probably waiting to see if I'd wiggle out of his grasp, but like I said, I was bored and now very bothered so I decided to play this game after all.

"So I just point at the circle. Steady my hand. And squeeze?", I parroted some of the things I'd caught onto from his instructions.

"Sure", he confirmed, his voice low and raspy.

He moved his hand again, his thumb faintly brushing over the "danger zone" of my shirt and I squirmed, almost dropping the gun. _Sweet mother of... this was H-O-T_! He nipped my earlobe and I pressed against him even more, positive it wasn't his belt buckle that was digging into my behind.

"You just have to concentrate, no matter what's going on around you", he whispered as his hand suddenly dropped and his fingers traced my inner thigh, lifting my skirt to slip further up.

My body moved on its own, melting into his every touch. I tried to focus on the piece of paper that hung on the other side and the circles within it as I lifted my other hand to try to steady the one I held the gun with. Adrian was so close to brushing my most sensitive and now very alerted parts, my skirt now completely messed up with his hand so deep underneath it. He began kissing my neck, his lips touching it so softly I thought my hazy mind was playing tricks on me. A moan escaped me and my head fell back on his shoulder as I entirely gave into the rush that filled my body. I could feel his lips spreading into a smirk as he instructed: "Rose, concentrate."

"You. Are not. Making that. Very easy", I gasped out, realizing I was so past saving.

"That's the whole point", he replied before he gave me a playful bite and I decided I had to finish this shooting thing before he turned me into a complete mess.

I tried to block out what he was doing and fixed my blurry gaze on the black circles and the outline of a body underneath them. I breathed in and out to steady myself before I squeezed the trigger. The bullet went straight into the target. Not anywhere near the center, but I didn't miss.

"See, you're a natural", Adrian exclaimed happily, for a moment forgetting all about his sweet torture. But I didn't.

I turned around and grabbed his shirt, still holding onto the gun. I pushed him backwards with all the strength I had and it was way more than I'd expected. There was a single chair pushed against the wall behind us. I noticed it when we entered and that was where I was trying to nudge him. I knew he could have stopped me. He was stronger than me by a longshot, but he allowed me to drag him down into that chair and straddle him without a fuss. Dangling my fingers into his messy hair I pulled his head back and pressed the tip of the barrel against his chest. I was so freaking turned on that I had no clue what I was doing, but I found myself purring: "And what if I pulled the trigger now?"

I didn't say it as a threat, but more like a seductive tease. Still, he could have interpreted it in a lot of ways which made me glad he didn't seem even a bit worried. Actually, there was a devilish spark playing in his eyes as he defiantly leaned into the gun, his lips inches away from mine and whispered: "Then you'd pull the trigger."

We were so close. All the protest I could have come up with, all the reasons I shouldn't do this, all sense left me completely. I just really wanted to kiss someone and that someone happened to be Adrian right now. Not that I was complaining. He was very, _very_ kissable and he picked up on how to push my buttons pretty fucking fast. Sure, he was the reason behind the mess that my life had turned into, but right now I had an odd sense of appreciation for that mess.

I moved to close the remaining distance between us and that was when I felt a hand closing around my collar and ripping me away from him. I panicked as I was lifted up like a ragdoll and if I had more time to react I probably would have accidently really pulled the trigger, either seriously injuring or killing Adrian on site. Instead, the gun was out of my hands before I could figure out what was what and I was roughly placed back on my feet. When the grip disappeared I lost my balance and plopped onto the floor.

Once I managed to look up, that same barrel I jabbed into Adrian's chest almost touched my nose as the person standing above me pointed it at my face. All I heard after that was an angry, thickly accented warning: "Don't even consider moving."

"Woah, Dimitri, cool down", Adrian spoke up as I blinked past the metal pushed into my face and saw him jumping from the chair.

"Cool down? She could have killed you."

"I wasn't going to", I weakly protested, earning a sharp look from the pissed off Russian.

"Shut up."

 _Well, that was as rude as always_ , I thought as Adrian came to the rescue, pulling him away from me. He sobered up almost as fast as I did, his expression somber as he slowly said: "Dimitri, it's fine. Rose didn't do anything wrong."

"She did plenty of wrong."

"I really didn't", I babbled, trying to get up.

"I thought I told you to stay put", Dimitri spat out, cleary not planning to let go of his anger any time soon.

"I was just teaching her how to shoot and we got… carried away", Adrian elaborated, but even I had to admit his phrasing was terrible and so not helping the situation.

"You were-", Dimitri started, his eyes blazing with fury before he glanced at me and said, "Get up and go to your room."

"But I-."

"GO TO YOUR ROOM", he growled and I scrambled to get the fuck out of dodge because this was only going to get worse from here and I did NOT want to feel the wrath that was speeding towards the next person who annoyed him further.

In different circumstances I might have even considered trying to escape since there wasn't a person in sight when I tumbled out of the shooting range. But, I knew better than to suspect Dimitri would have let me out of his sight if he thought that there was even the slightest chance I could make a run for it. I raced to the house as fast as my legs would let me and dashed passed a confused looking Mason without a word. As soon as I set foot into my room I slammed the door shut, leaning against it as I tried to catch my breath. _I told you this was a bad idea_ , my mind supplied and all I could do was say: "Well, fuck."

 **POV: Dimitri**

I had no clue where I got the patience to wait until Adrian closed his office door. I wanted to scream at him from the top of my lungs all the way up to the house, but now that we were here I managed to gain relative control over my nerves so my voice remained within the boundaries of normal.

"Would you like to explain to me what the hell were you thinking doing such an idiotic thing?"

"You really shouldn't talk to me like that."

"Why? Are you going to fire me? Kill me? Go right ahead. See if I give a shit."

"Well, that escalated quickly", he mumbled into his chin as he threw his jacket over the back of his chair.

"So? Why the sudden urge to play Russian roulette with your prisoner?"

"She is not my prisoner."

"Oh, what is she then?", I questioned, trying really hard not to jump up and strangle him for good measure.

"My guest."

"Does she know that?"

He slumped down into his chair and sighed, letting me know that he was getting tired of this conversation, but he was very wrong to think that I'd let it go that easily. When I remained standing with my arms crossed on my chest he huffed: "Let's not make a big deal out of this. I was just having a little harmless fun."

"Harmless fun Adrian? Really? She held a loaded gun pointed at your heart. You do remember you kidnapped her? And yet you still thought it'd be a good idea to have HARMLESS FUN with her."

"If I didn't know any better Dimitri, I'd say you were just jealous you didn't think of it first", he tried joking, but I was beyond done with his shit today.

"You know what... do whatever the hell you want, but know I won't be bringing flowers to your grave if you die because of your own damn stupidity."

His eyes shot up to me and I knew I'd crossed the line more than I should have. I thought that would finally get him to spark up, yell at me, try to throw me out and I was prepared to take him on, fight him for a change. What I wasn't prepared for was to see his face dropping and his eyes becoming the closest I'd ever seen to being filled with what looked like tears.

"I wouldn't expect you to bring me flowers whichever reason I die for", he almost whispered before he blinked a few times and cleared his throat, "Is there anything else you'd like to add? Because I'm tired and I'd like to go to bed before I manage to sober up completely."

Just like that, he was back to calm and composed. The fearless leader who had very little time for emotions of any sort. And, unlike him, I was the opposite of my usual self, completely lost as to what I should say and do next.

"Dimitri?", he asked impatiently, setting me in motion.

"No."

"Good night then", he dismissed me and all I was left to do was walk out and close the door behind me.

* * *

 **Alright *deep breath* don't murder me, please! I know this chapter is probably going to led to some not so nice comments and I'll lose a few readers over it, BUT even before I started posting this story here (actually at the point when I wasn't even thinking of publishing it) the Rodrian scene came to mind and I had to write it! However, since this story has Romitri as the end game this was just a tiny *squint* hiccup (that I actually thoroughly enjoyed writing)! This doesn't, I repeat does NOT mean this will be a love triangle situation! I actually never liked Rodrian as a couple in the books, so I don't intend to have them be one here either! ALSO, Dimitri's reaction might strike you as OOC, but I do believe it's completely expected for him to act bitchy both because he's very protective of Adrian and because well, duh, he called dibs on Rose only he doesn't know it yet XD**

 **Now, I'd like to very politely ask you to state your opinions on this chapter without being offensive, especially cause there is way more to this chapter than the Rodrian scene, likeeeee one of my favourite flashbacks there at the top! I do hope at least some of you enjoyed reading this and I'm gonna need you to get excited cause the following two chapters are some of my favourite (hint: Badasses and guns)! I hope to "see" most of you around next week!**

 **Kisses, T!**

 **Songs: Amsterdam - Nothing but Thieves, Speed Up - Funkerman**


	11. CH11 - Practice makes Perfect

**POV: Rose**

The sun was still hiding behind the treeline when a loud bang caused me to almost fall out of the bed. I didn't exactly plan to go to sleep. I just sort of passed out in my clothes due to the excess amount of alcohol and the drop of adrenaline after the rush of fear brought down by Dimitri. The light was still on so I could clearly see Dimitri striding up to me and grabbing my leg. Before his hand made contact with me, for a moment I actually thought that I was still asleep or seeing things. That bubble burst as soon a I felt him dragging me down the bed. I tried to scream, but before I could fill my lungs with enough air to do it, he covered my mouth and ordered: "Be quiet."

He leveraged me into his arms and pushed me to walk with him. I probably would have tried to resist him if I didn't feel something cold inching underneath my shirt and pressing into my back. It was either a knife or a gun. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was already scared shitless. He tightened his grip, making me yelp, and propelled me forward. He led me out of the room into the darkness of the hallway and down the stairs. When he pulled the front door open a rush of cold air ran over my skin, intensifying the chill that was already running through me. The faint light of the day chasing the night away bathed us as I stumbled down to the yard, Dimitri steering me roughly into his desired direction. Both of us were silent, but my breathing hitched every time he tugged me closer or pushed me away. Finally, when we reached the treeline I found my voice again and pushed out: "Where are we going?"

He didn't grace me with a response. Instead his grip disappeared and I lost my balance, falling onto the ground. My bare knees hit the mud and grass that were damp from the morning dew. I peered up at him as he rounded me and lifted his gun, cocking it back. His actions prompted my mouth to move again in the form of a terrified blurt: "Shit. Belikov, listen don't do this. You don't have to. I-."

He aligned the gun with my head and my eyes filled with tears. Trying to get up and run would be pointless since I was pretty sure he was quicker on the trigger and had a exceptional aim no matter how fast I moved. Fighting the giant would be impossible. Pleading was obviously not going to do the trick and there was no knight in shining armor coming to save me. Yep, I was about to die and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. His eyes seemed cold which was certainly a fascinating and freaking scary thing to see, especially when it came to such a warm and inviting color that they were in. I blinked and then became too scared to let my eyelids open back up.

"Dimitri, please don't kill me", I whispered, feeling my whole body tremble.

 _Click_. I gasped and felt a single tear roll down my cheek. I didn't feel pain, there was no noise like the one I heard when Adrian took me to the shooting range. Actually, nothing happened. I finally pushed myself to open my eyes again and meet Dimitri's cool gaze as he lowered the gun with its slider stuck back. It was empty. The gun was fucking empty.

"W-why did you-?"

"If you're going to use _this_ , you need to make sure it's loaded first. Do you know how to do that?"

"What. Are you. Even-?", I gasped out, feeling like I might pass out or finally pee my panties.

"You wanted to learn how to shoot, correct? I'm teaching you. And don't make the mistake of thinking that I agree with yours or Adrian's wishes, but if this is going to happen, it's going to happen on my terms. And, as you can see, my methods of teaching differ from Adrian's."

"You don't say", I mumbled, happy that I had at least managed to start forming normal sentences again.

"Get up."

I was still not quite convinced he wouldn't pop one into my skull after all so I scrambled to my feet as fast as I could and stood perfectly still as he stepped towards me. He ejected the magazine and dug through his pocket, producing a couple of bullets before slowly loading them inside. He briskly clicked the magazine back in place and rolled the gun in his hand to offer it to me. I took it with shaky hands and blinked up at him as he moved to stand behind me.

"Safety."

I clicked the safety off and shivered when his chest bumped against my back and his arms rounded mine. It wasn't the same kind of shiver I felt last night when Adrian pressed up against me like this. Then, the mix of alcohol and Adrian's intoxicating cologne were a distraction from what I was actually supposed to be doing, and now I couldn't even think past the fear for long enough to even consider whether this could turn into something hot or deadly. Not that I should even be considering such a thing after he almost fake killed me. _What the fuck Rose?,_ I almost screamed at myself.

Also, I was very much sober and aware of how rough everything about Dimitri felt compared to Adrian. His hands were calloused and I was too aware of every place where they touched mine, scraping against my skin. Adrian's hands were far from smooth and unblemished. Despite my hazy state, I still remembered the uneven line that popped out of his palm, right below his thumb and the thickness of the skin around that scar he got God only knew how and when. Yet, the way Adrian had touched me made every imperfection unnoticeable or maybe I was just too horny at that moment to care.

"Pull the slide", Dimitri continued instructing, allowing one of my hands to move up to follow his order.

His grip tightened once the gun was ready to fire, his index finger pressing over mine to flatten it against the barrel. His breath tickled my neck as he spoke again: "This is an M9, doesn't have much of a kick, but since you're not used to firing guns I suggest you make sure you have a steady and proper grip. Watch out for the hammer-."

"Adrian told me most of this", I cut in, glad I wasn't facing him when I decided to interrupt.

"And I'm telling you again. If you're going to learn, you're going to have to get used to repeating things over and over."

"Practice makes perfect", I mumbled as he moved my finger down with his.

"Exactly. Now find your target."

 _Can that be your face?_ , I thought as I focused on the closest tree trunk and went for the trigger. I squeezed it and the bullet whizzed out and dug into the bark, sending splinters flying in various directions. It was a pretty big target, but I was still proud I managed to hit it despite the unspoken pressure Dimitri was putting on me. He didn't seem at all impressed though, which was more than evident when he mumbled: "Find a better one this time."

"Are you volunteering?", I bit back, feeling a bit too cocky now that I had a weapon in my hands.

"You think shooting a person is easy?"

He let go of me and I turned to face him, lowering the gun next to my thigh. I was surprised he let me keep it, though I was pretty sure he could disarm me in a blink if he wanted to. I tried very hard to meet his gaze with as much defiance and dignity as I could. I didn't want him to see that I was scared of him, not again if I could help it.

"Are you going to give me a lecture about moving targets now? Because let me stop you right there and remind you that my mother is a cop, I own a TV and I've used internet before."

"I'm not talking about skill", he replied, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm talking about how it feels to purposely harm another human being. I'm talking about how it feels to take someone's life. Did TV teach you that?"

I wanted to respond, I really did, but I found myself with nothing to say. He was right. I had no idea if I could ever do something like that. Sure, under adrenaline and if I was fighting for my life I probably wouldn't give it much thought, but looking up at him I felt nauseous at the very idea of shooting him.

"I thought not", he added confidently and his attitude finally made me think of a good comeback.

"Then why did you throw a bitch-fit about me shooting Adrian? If you thought I couldn't do it, then all of that ranting was for nothing."

"I didn't say you couldn't do it. I simply said you can't comprehend what doing it means. I could shoot you right now and go have breakfast afterwards like nothing had happened. Could you do the same? Could you live with someone's blood on your hands?"

"Well, you're really tempting me to find out", I retorted, annoyed by his smartass behaviour.

His hand suddenly shot up and I twitched back, but not before he managed to catch me. He pulled the hand that I held the gun with up, forcing me to point it directly at his chest. The whole situation was in some ways very much like the one I lived through only a few hours ago with Adrian, but in other ways so much different. It wasn't sexy or playful. It had me reaching for the safety by reflex because, no matter how much he annoyed the living hell out of me, I really did NOT want to shoot him. Which was exactly how he proved his damn point. His eyebrow quirked and he concluded: "So if you're afraid to shoot someone you hate, how do you think you'd feel if it was someone you didn't know or someone you like or even love?"

 _I don't hate you,_ I thought and frowned at myself. He was one of my kidnapers and he had done nothing to make me even close to liking him or even tolerating him, but still when he said hate my mind automatically rejected the word. Maybe it was the way I was brought up or maybe those damn eyes made me think that something other than an asshole was hiding somewhere deep behind them.

Suddenly, he moved my hand away and gestured behind me, instructing: "Pick a new target."

 **POV: Adrian**

 _This was the best cappuccino in town,_ I thought to myself as I blew on the steaming cup in my hands, _so why was I allowing this fucker to ruin my enjoyment in it again?_ Andrea shifted in his seat, clearly trying to keep my fading attention. The thing I loved about this world was how fast the tables could turn. Last week he was shiting all over my business and now he was groveling because he knew I had the upper hand. Sure, it sucked when you were the one at a disadvantage, but it was rare that I was in that position so I couldn't really complain.

"- but Victor is becoming a real problem", he finished, finally picking the right words to get me to join the conversation.

"I couldn't agree more. However, I remember pointing out the same thing to you months ago and you dismissed it. So, why discuss it with me now?"

"Adrian", he exclaimed, his accent making my name sound more foreign, "We should unite against him, no? That would be the best course of action for all of us. Nobody wants him around anymore. He disrespects everyone and has no boundaries. We could be allies and-."

"There's no _we_ , Andrea", I cut in, sipping on my coffee before slowly placing the cup down, prolonging the tension on purpose, "There's _you_ and there's _me_. We stay off each other's turf and we maintain peace because, let's face it, neither of us wants or can afford a bloodbath right now. All of that doesn't make us allies."

"You really think you can wage war against him alone?", he challenged and that gave me the perfect opportunity to bluff and pin him down.

"But I'm not alone. You know that. You wouldn't be here if you didn't and you wouldn't have asked so many questions about a certain lady I've befriended."

"You really think the Mazur girl will-."

"She already did", I finished my bluff with so much confidence even I admired myself a little, "So, unless you have some other requests about our renewed arrangement I believe I'll take my leave of this lovely place."

He kept his lips shut and nodded, clearly unsatisfied with how things turned out for him, but making no attempts to stop me when I threw my money on the table and buttoned my jacket.

"Always a pleasure seeing you", I politely added, hearing him grunt a similar response before I made my way out, followed by McCall. I waited until we reached the limo and then gave McCall a wink while prompting: "Could have fooled you, huh?"

"Damn right", he laughed and opened the door for me, patiently waiting until I was safe inside before rounding the car to get to his seat.

I pondered on whether I should ask him to join me, but gave up on the idea quickly. It was funny that McCall had been working for me way longer than Dimitri had, yet my annoying cousin managed to get closer to me than McCall probably ever would. Apparently Dimitri had a way of getting under one's skin whether they allowed it or not. Maybe that was the reason Rose still hadn't tried to choke the life out of him. Not that she'd succeed. Many scarier people didn't. Still, that didn't stop me from actually being a bit worried that I'd left them alone for hours, especially after last night's events. I certainly had no desire to come back to any dead bodies lying around in my home... _again_. And luckily, I didn't. What I did find was Rose digging through the fridge while Dimitri leaned on the counter and kept staring at her with annoyance, but also a little dose of something I couldn't quite name.

"Well, well, well. Look at you two getting along", I sang as I walked in.

"Yeah, not really", Rose mumbled while Dimitri gave me the _how did it go_ look. I nodded to him and smiled which got him to visibly relax, not that he was ever really relaxed.

"You're willingly occupying the same room. I call that progress."

Rose emerged from the fridge, finally giving me a clear look at her. When my eyes fell to her tight T-shirt my mind pushed a reel of flashbacks through my head that had me gluing my eyes to the furthest thing in the room from her breasts. _Hell, this hasn't happened in a long time,_ I thought as I became aware of how constricting my pants suddenly became. This woman was working some serious mojo.

"So, what did I miss?", I blurted out, rounding the counter to stand next to Dimitri, putting a physical barrier between Rose and I just like he did. Maybe he was onto something.

"Dimitri gave me his take on shooting lessons."

"Did he now?", I asked, peering at Dimitri who shrugged and played it as cool as he could, "How did that go?"

"You have a lot of holes in your garden."

"Cause why use the shooting range that I had built for those purposes?", I mumbled as Rose bit down on an apple and began talking through her half-full mouth.

"You should really buy more food. You're almost out of... well, everything."

"Perhaps if you ate less-", Dimitri started, but I swiftly cut in.

"Yes, I already ordered supplies. Don't worry Rose. We won't starve you."

"What _will_ you do then?", she asked, catching me a bit off guard.

I paused to think of a best way to approach her pushy question as Dimitri shifted next to me and his eyes glued to me as well. Rose must have anticipated my words because she responded to them even before they were out: "Yeah, sure, you told me what you needed me for, but not what you plan to do with or to me and when you're planning to do it. You do know you can't keep me a prisoner forever?"

"You are not-."

"Don't start with that bullshit. I'm a prisoner and we all know it. No point in avoiding the obvious. Sure, I get to walk around this freaking house, but that doesn't automatically mean I'm free. Because I'm not. And you keep saying that if I want I can go, but you're not really going to let me walk away, are you? So forgive me for feeling a bit frustrated over the fact that I'm stuck here and I have no idea what's going to happen."

She babbled so fast that I couldn't even try to return the favor and interrupt her. When she stopped to catch her breath though, I straightened up and asked: "Are you done?"

She opened her mouth to say something, but then changed her mind and swiftly shut it, nodding. I sighed and said: "My plans are already set in motion, so if you think you'll stay here indefinitely... you won't, okay? Things just take more time than your thin patience is used to."

"How do you do that?", she exclaimed, rolling her eyes at me.

"Do what?"

"Say a lot of shit and not actually say anything at all?"

"Practice makes perfect."

For some reason my words caused Dimitri to snicker and Rose to become even more infuriated. She threw her hands in the air and growled: "Fine, don't tell me anything, but know that you two idiots have now taught me how to use a gun and I might change my mind about that whole blood on my hands ordeal."

She pointendly stared at Dimitri as she said the last part of her sentence. His smile wavered, but he didn't seem nearly as alarmed as I expected him to be. I guess I'd missed a lot more than just shooting lessons. He unfolded his hands and pushed himself off the counter, giving Rose a smirk as he calmly said: "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Princess."

 _Well that line came straight out of my vocabulary_. My eyebrows went through the roof when he walked past her and leaned down to add: "But you better make it count because nobody likes a tease."

She glared at him as he left and I barely maintained my composure. I had no idea what had gotten into Dimitri, but suddenly I had a feeling it was the same thing that had me crossing the boundaries last night with Rose as well. She was quite irresistible in a way and I didn't mean just her looks. Suddenly a crazy idea crossed my mind and I used Dimitri's absence from the room as an opportunity to present it.

"How would you like to get out of here for a few hours?"

Rose's eyes shot up to me and she looked relatively excited about the possibility of what I had suggested. She tried to mask her reaction though by crossing her arms over her chest and shooting back: "You want to use me to fuck with your enemies again?"

"No, I just want to go for a ride and have some company."

"You do realize you basically always have company."

"Not as lovely as you I don't."

She shrugged, but a barely visible blush crept up to her cheeks. She mumbled something in the lines of _yeah, sure, whatever_ and I gestured for her to follow me. I mulled over whether I should let Dimitri know that we were leaving, but I wasn't really in the mood to fight with him over it. Come to think of it, I wasn't really in the mood to be cooped up in the car with any of my usual escorts. I stopped in the hallway to rummage through the cupboard there for keys as McCall passed by us and asked: "Going somewhere?"

"Yeah, for a drink or to commit a heinous crime. I'll decide in the car."

Rose stifled a laugh behind me and McCall eyed her, probably preparing to ask me whether she was coming and whether he should come as well, but I swiftly added: "That'll be all McCall. I'll see you later."

I finally found the right set of keys and cracked my head to the side to signal Rose to follow me. We went down the stairs and she mumbled: "Is this you changing your mind about the basement and gagging thing?"

"Why? Would you like that?", I teased her, pushing the door at the bottom of the stairs open.

"No, not really", she laughed nervously, probably not certain whether she should take me seriously or not.

"You know, I don't actually have a basement. Just a garage."

I turned the lights on and heard her whistle as the room illuminated. I grinned into my chin and rolled the keys around my index finger. Yep, coming down here always made me feel like a kid who became overly excited about his toys. The limo was cool and all, but slipping behind a wheel and just taking off into an unknown direction was what I lived for sometimes, especially when I got to do it in wicked beasts of cars.

"Are they all yours?", Rose asked as her eyes ran over the vehicles.

"Mostly. The Chevy and Porsche are mine. The Audi is kind of like a family car."

She took a few steps forward and ran her hand over the hood of the Chevy. It was the oldest car around, but I kept it in impeccable shape. I rarely drove it, but I loved it, mostly because it used to be my mom's. Also because it was hard not to appreciate a good clasic.

"Oh and the bike is Dimitri's", I remembered to add as the two-wheeled monster caught my eye.

"Of course it is", she chuckled, her eyes running over the Ducati in admiration, "You don't drive it?"

"Hell no! I mean, I don't have a problem with speed or anything, but bikes are fucking uncomfortable."

"Well, you do always wear suits so I get your point."

I smiled and headed towards the Porsche, unlocking it when I was halfway to it. Rose ran up ahead of me and twirled around, giving me puppy-eyes while she asked: "Can I drive?"

"Nope."

She pouted and I shook my head laughing into my chin as I opened the passenger door for her. She continued to sulk, but she slipped inside without further protests. When I joined her she looked at the dashboard and asked: "Can I turn the music on?"

"Sure."

She grinned and attacked the stereo while I turned the keys in the ignition and gently tapped on the gas pedal, hearing the familiar hum slowly work its way up to a steady roar. I couldn't help but to grin as I pulled out and turned towards the driveway. I drove slowly waiting for her to pick the music and lean back. When she did I shot: "Buckle up."

"Am I supposed to keep my head down again?"

"Nah. We'll be far from the house by the time we're topside."

"Wait... you have a freaking batcave, don't you?", she exclaimed as I drove through a long tunnel.

"Something like that", I laughed, watching her eyes widen in disbelief, "Now, fast or slow?"

"What kind of a question is that?", she chuckled, gripping the handle and the edge of her seat.

I slammed my foot down and the car surged forward harshly. Rose gasped as we flew through the tunnel, the engine's roar echoing off the thick walls. She glanced over at me and shot: "I hope you're a good driver."

"We're about to find out", I joked, adding dramatic maniacal laughter as I took a sharp turn and sped towards the exit.

The closer we got the end of the tunnel the lighter our surroundings became until we were practically blinded. I knew the road by heart though so I prepared for the upcoming twirl. I thought about warning Rose to hang on, but decided it'd be more fun if she didn't see it coming. And I was right. She actually let out a short scream as I turned the wheel as far as it'd go and the car swayed hard as it hit the road, tires squealing loudly on the pavement. I laughed and I was sure she'd hit me if she could make her hands stop gripping her seat.

"That was _not_ funny", she breathed out, but she was grinning like an idiot too.

"Totally not", I chuckled, slowing down a bit as we slid down the serpents that lead away from the hill behind my house.

Rose's eyes glued to the window and she studied the trees and the road, remaining silent for a while. It wasn't until we hit the highway that she spoke up again: "So, a drink or a heinous crime?"

"How about both?"

"Can we just stick with the first?"

"You're no fun", I teased as she rolled her eyes and finally relaxed in her seat.

Maybe Dimitri panicked too much, but I was no fool either. If I was taking Rose anywhere it was going to be somewhere I could keep everything under control. The Academy was off the table because I was pretty certain the place was being watched because of Christian's potential involvement in her disappearance. Thinking of that, I wondered how Rose's mother hadn't figured it all out already. It wasn't exactly a secret that I owned the place, but then again maybe she didn't think to explore that aspect since it was easy to miss things that were right under your nose.

In the end, I winded up picking the first place that oddly popped into my head. I parked close to the bar and peered over at the pink, neon sign above the entrance. _Zamora_. It had been a while since I came here. I pushed the door open and hopped out, going around the car to get Rose. She glanced down her body as I locked the car and then after a few moments commented: "I don't think I'm dressed accordingly."

"For this place? Trust me, you're dressed to impress."

We crossed the parking lot and I surpassed Rose, deciding it'd be better if I walked in first. It was a good call since we didn't even make it past the threshold before a bouncer towered over us, with his arms crossed over his large belly and grumbled: "Private party."

"It always is and I always have an invitation."

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Ask the crazy blond behind the bar."

"Is there a problem Tiny?", I heard a high-pitched drawl from behind him.

"Tiny? Really?", I exclaimed and Rose jabbed me in the ribs to keep me from pissing off the gigantic bouncer, though her face turned red as she tried to hold in a laugh.

"Ivashkov? That you?"

"Yeah, Rinaldi, who else?", I shot back as Mia pushed her way past Tiny and stared me up and down.

 _Maybe calling her a blond was inaccurate,_ I thought as I glanced up her small figure to her hair that was now streaked with the same pink color that the sign of the bar was in. She had a few more piercings and tattoos since I last saw her, but no matter how much she tried to look like a badass she was still simply adorable to me. Not that I wasn't very aware of the fact that this little doll was packing at least two guns somewhere underneath her metalhead, leather outfit and was batshit crazy while we were at it.

"About damn time. You still owe me that drink asshole", she shot, waving at the bouncer to let us in, "Who's the chick?"

"A friend", I responded, putting my hand on Rose's back to nudge her forward, "Her name is-."

"Don't care", she cut in shaking her head as she headed towards the bar, "Lets get hammered."

Well if there was one thing I could count on, it was that Mia Rinaldi would never change and that was one constant I really wanted to live with.

* * *

 **Hey y'all! So I have to start this AN by saying that I was completely blown away by some of the support I'd received through the reviews and (even bigger) through PMs from some of you! I did NOT expect a reaction like that and I was really encouraged to keep on doing what I'm doing! I wasn't a stranger to hate and mean comments so I was really preparing for the worst even though I had Meg and Gaya (megamorr and** **ohorpheuss) cheering me on like crazy! And after the previous chapter, not only did I not get hate, but I actually gained a few more followers and got lots of feedback so THANK YOU!**

 **As for this chapter, well, this is sort of like an introductory to the new (wilder) part of this story! Of course, I had to bring in another VA character and who better than the crazy bartender Mia! I hope y'all are going to like my take on her! Also, for those of you who like lots of action, prepare popcorn for the next week's update (I had so much fun writing it)! "See" y'all then!**

 **Kisses, T!**

 **Songs: Love and Hate - Arrow Benjamin, The Devil You Know - X Ambassadors**


	12. CH12 - Zamora

**POV: Rose**

This place was strange, its guests even stranger and this Mia girl could drink a shit ton of alcohol. I wouldn't exactly go as far as to say she'd warmed up to me after a few shots that she adamantly placed on Adrian's tab, but she at least stopped ignoring me and bothered to learn my name. Adrian slowed down with the hard liquor after a while and ordered a beer. I was glad since he was supposed to be driving us back at some point. Mia made me a cocktail after which I became pretty sure she didn't know jack about bartending and making drinks. I picked up on a few things about her, like the fact that her father was obviously in the same branch of "business" as Adrian, but she stayed clear of it and that this place belonged to her. Though nothing made me almost choke on my drink like the conversation that followed some crazy story she'd been telling Adrian.

"So you banging her?", she suddenly asked, pointing her thumb in my direction.

"Rinaldi, seriously, are you ever going to learn some manners?"

"No. And you know I ain't like those prude chicks that come to that sorry excuse of a club you own."

"Hey, what's wrong with my club?"

"Off topic", she snapped and glanced at me as I tried hard not to blush, "He banging you?"

"No", I replied as Adrian rolled his eyes, "Not that it's any of your business Miss Not a Prude."

"Hah, she's got spunk, I'll give you that", Mia shot to Adrian before she directed her attention back at me, "Too bad for you. He's fucking good at it."

Adrian quirked his eyebrow to which she added: "What? I'm not ashamed to admit it. It was one of the best nights of my life."

"Way to boost a guy's ego", Adrian chuckled as I stared at my glass like it was the most interesting thing on the planet.

"Yeah, yeah, don't let it go to your head Ivashkov."

I was about to point out that Adrian's ego probably couldn't get any bigger, but decided against it since I was eager for the conversation to end. Things were still pretty tense and awkward between us since the shooting range. The last thing I needed was someone bringing up the possibility of us jumping each other's bones, especially when I was sober. I wiggled in my seat and then finally decided I needed a minute to myself.

"Where's the toilet?"

"In the back", Mia replied, pointing towards a gloomy hallway that led away from the bar.

"I'll be right back", I shot to Adrian, slipping off my stool.

His hand wrapped around my elbow to stop me as I tried to go around him. He leaned over, forgetting about the concept of personal space as his eyes met mine and his lips moved in close enough to have us sharing our breaths. For one electrifying moment we wordlessly stared at one another, until he finally said: "Don't take too long."

"No need to stress, I'm coming back."

"Oh, I know", he responded with a confident smirk, "I'm not worried about you escaping."

"What then?"

"You might have noticed", he mumbled, his gaze averting from me to run over the bar, "This place isn't exactly filled with a lot of gentlemen. Emphasis on _gentle_."

I peered over my shoulder towards a couple of bearded, pissed off looking guys playing pool in the cloud of smoke their cigarettes made around them. In the opposite corner, were two men dressed in the similar get-up as Mia, covertly talking with an occasional eye-scan of the place. A woman, and it took me a while to figure out her gender, was dancing next to the jukebox all by herself, glancing over her shoulder every once in a while to see if anyone was watching her. Yep, this was one suspicious looking crowd, but none of them seemed at all interested in either of us. I turned back towards Adrian and winked at him while saying: "I'm a big girl."

"Yes, of course", he muttered, but he didn't sound at all convinced.

He let go of me and I walked away slowly, deciding I didn't want to draw any attention to myself for a change, just to be safe. The space in front of the bathroom was so dark I had to touch my way around to find the knob. As I pushed the old, squeaky door open I was met with a blinking yellow light that almost made my eyes burn out of my skull.

I wasn't exactly a fastidious person, but I cringed when I glanced around. The toilet was not only dirty, but it was basically falling apart. I really did need to pee though so I headed towards the cabin and tried to touch as few things as possible, pushing the door with my elbow and kicking it shut with my foot after I slipped inside.

While I was washing my hands I looked up at the smudged and slightly cracked mirror hanging above the sink. _Well, I look like crap_ , I thought as my disheveled reflection stared back at me. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair repeatedly, attempting to smooth down some of the knots that had formed in it. As I was finishing up the door behind me squeaked to announce someone's entrance. I turned just in time to see Dimitri's darker than usual eyes watching me.

"My God, at this rate, you're going to start popping out of the fridge too."

He seemed unfazed by my comment as he leaned against the wall next to the door and crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't say anything, just kept staring at me. _He was doing it to annoy me and it was fucking working_.

"So what are you doing here?", I added since he was obviously not planning on gracing me with any greetings.

"Adrian invited me."

"Adrian invited you?"

"You sound surprised", he challenged as I moved away from the sink.

"Not as much as I am by your presence in the ladies room", I snapped back, suddenly feeling a bit claustrophobic now that he was here.

"Actually there is only one toilet, so-."

"Oh. Well, I'll leave you to your business then", I mumbled as I headed towards the door.

"Rose", he said just before I stepped out and I froze.

This was the first time he'd called me by my nickname. He'd use my full name or surname or... well, pretty much anything but Rose. It took me by surprise so much that I found my legs unmoving when I wanted to just ignore him and keep going. I peered up at him since we were standing close to each other and I was yet again reminded of how short I was compared to him. I didn't speak, but it was safe to say it was more than obvious he'd received my attention.

"I wanted to-", he started, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he looked away. He was... nervous. _Heaven help me, I was making Dimitri Belikov nervous_. He kept his eyes glued to the little window at the top of the wall opposite from us, clearing his throat before continuing: "I wanted to apologize for my behaviour this morning. It was... it might have been slightly overkill."

"You think?", I exclaimed, remembering how he manhandled me and had me begging for my life with a bitter taste in my mouth.

"You know, I don't do this very often. Maybe you could take it easy on me?", he huffed, his eyes moving to mine again.

I wanted to say a lot of things like _have you ever been easy on me?_ or _well, screw you very much_ , but for some reason I ended up asking: "Do what often? Apologize?"

He slowly nodded and I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck as I tilted my head to the side. It looked like this was as good as it was going to get when it came to his alleged apology so I decided to take the high road, even though he didn't at all deserve it and I huffed: "Fine. Apology accepted. Can I go now?"

"I-."

 _Bang_. I twitched back and quickly looked at the door as the muffled echo dialed down. Dimitri jumped too, straightening up and lowering his hand to reach for his gun. _Bang_. Not that this place was quiet before, but all of the noise so far was like a buzz compared to the sounds making their way to us now. I didn't need to ask in order to know those were gunshots. Dimitri stepped around me and snapped: "Stay behind me."

I had no intentions of disobeying. The third shot came just as he rushed out and I followed, remaining hidden behind his broad back. He rose his gun and moved forward quickly. He was blocking most of my view, but I still managed to immediately find Adrian with my eyes and swallowed a lump of panic when I noticed blood trickling down his cheek from a cut on his temple. He was holding his gun too and it was easy to tell he was freaking furious just by his expression. His next words confirmed it.

"Alright, someone is about to wind up in a coffin", he growled and all I could think was - _shit._

 **POV: Adrian**

Just as Rose left a few more men walked inside, but none of them were Dimitri. I checked my phone again and still saw no reply to my message. _Was he really pissed enough to not show up_? I breathed out and took a sip of my drink while Mia sloppily filled a few glasses and slammed them on the bar, not bothering to take them to the people who ordered them. When she joined me again she gave me a narrow-eyed look and asked: "What mess have you gotten yourself into now, Ivashkov?"

"What makes you say that?"

"You look like you haven't been sleeping much", she commented, her eyes running over my face, "And, don't get me wrong, as fun as your new little friend is, she smells like trouble."

"Rose? Nah, she is actually my ticket out of trouble."

"Oh, yeah", she challenged, "I'm sure Miss Mazur isn't going to sink you even deeper into the cesspit that's your life lately."

I glanced up at her, not being able to hide the surprise from my face. I wasn't exactly keeping who Rose was a secret from everyone, but I was pretty damn sure I didn't mention it to Mia. Not that I didn't trust her enough to share something like that with her, but I didn't want to drag her into it since she had made it pretty clear that she and her bar were Switzerland. She wanted no part in the bloody wars that were erupting all around the place faster than you could blink. When I didn't say anything, but quirked my eyebrow instead she exclaimed: "What? Word gets around and I ain't stupid. But you clearly are. How fast do you think will it take Ibrahim Mazur to find out you got your hands on his precious? And how trigger happy he'll be once he tracks you down?"

"The man's not a gollum", I huffed at Mia's reference while she shrugged, "Besides, that won't be a problem if I find him first."

"And do what? Bargain? You don't go around making deals with the devil Sugar."

"You worried about my soul Rinaldi?"

"Maybe", she casually brushed me off, but I could see a hint of actual concern dancing through her blue eyes.

"No need. I sold it a long time ago. Besides, I didn't go into this halfcocked. Ibrahim won't take the first shot as long as his daughter can get caught in the crossfire."

"And if things don't go the way you planned?"

"Well, then I'm screwed either way. Too many people want to blow my head off already. You could say I have nothing to lose really."

"Except for him", Mia mumbled, signaling behind me with her eyes.

I turned just as Dimitri placed his palm on my shoulder and greeted Mia. She smiled at him and shot: "Hey Handsome, what can I get you?"

"Barkeeper's choice."

"My favorite customer", she mumbled into her chin with an expression that was as close to cheerful as I'd seen on her.

"You came."

"I did", he confirmed and I smiled as he took Rose's seat, putting his helmet under his legs and glancing around.

I knew what he was doing so I elaborated: "She is out back."

He let out a hum, simply acknowledging my words. No getting pissed. No outbursts. No lectures. It was definitely a refreshing change. Maybe change wasn't a good way to describe it. _Returning to normal_? Sure, he was always a bit on the edge, but he used to be way calmer and more intune with my decisions. Still, I wasn't convinced by his sudden laissez-faire attitude so I added: "You're not worried?"

"No. You're right. I've been stressing too much."

"Hell", I chuckled before I shot to Mia, "Bring the closest thing you have to champagne, I'm celebrating a monumental moment."

"Always dramatic", Dimitri laughed, standing up, "Put a hold on the cork popping, I'll be right back."

He took off towards the bathroom and I shook my head. So much for not stressing anymore. Well, nothing lasts forever _._ Except for my drink right now. _Since when did gulping down beer take this long? Was I falling out of shape?_

Someone rumbled loudly in the back, but I ignored it, knowing it was probably one of the guys who was sour about losing in pool. An argument broke out pretty quickly to which Mia shouted: "Hey, take it outside!"

Everything seemed to quiet down for a few moments and then I heard glass breaking which was a short warning before somebody stumbled into my chair and almost knocked me on my ass. I gripped the bar to stay upright while my chair tipped over and hit the ground. I swung around as the two men who got into the fight flew back and forth and the ones from their group hurled towards them to either break them apart or join in. Of course, it was the latter.

"Fucking shit, I TOLD YOU TO TAKE IT OUTSIDE", Mia growled while I tried to move out of the way.

It wasn't like I was above fighting or afraid of any of them, but I was trying to be on good behaviour since Dimitri had finally decided to ease up on bitching. Also, it wasn't my fight. Speaking of Dimitri I wondered why he hadn't burst out from the toilet already, ready to break bones. Then I remembered how loud this place usually was. Glass breaking and shouting was pretty frequent background music for the tunes blaring from the jukebox. Plus, the toilet was further away from the main room than it seemed.

When one of the guys popped one off into the ceiling the funny games were over and I was reaching under my jacket. Before I could get my weapon though, I caught something shiny flying directly towards my face out of the corner of my eye. I had good reflexes, but I didn't see this one coming in time. A bottle slammed against my head, breaking into shards that showered over me. One of the broken pieces remained stuck in the skin just above my temple as my vision momentarily blurred. Two more shots followed as I dug the shard out and saw blood coating my fingertips.

My gun was in my hand within seconds and I angrily shouted: "Alright, someone is about to wind up in a coffin."

I didn't get to deliver on my threats though since a much, much louder bang cracked through the room and every single person in it froze. I peered over my shoulder, my ear still ringing and saw Mia lowering her shotgun before single-handedly pumping the slide and pointing the barrel at the guy who I figured started the fight.

"Beat it or eat it."

I didn't think he needed any more explanations on what he'd be eating if he didn't get the hell out of dodge. The crowd broke apart and most of the men dashed towards the door. Mia swore into her chin and placed the shotgun back under the bar as Dimitri rushed towards me with Rose following him in step.

"You alright?", he mumbled as he stashed his gun back into his holster.

"Yeah", I replied, leaning back against the bar.

Rose moved towards me and touched my chest. At first I was confused about what she was doing, but then I realized she was reaching for the handkerchief that was neatly folded in the pocket of my jacket. She pinched it with her fingers and pulled it out, using it to quickly tap around the cut on my face before pressing the material over it. She had this look of pure concentration while she did that and her actions left me in a bit of an awe. I wasn't the only one surprised though. Dimitri's mouth almost fell open as he gaped at her and out of the corner of my eye I saw Mia's eyebrows quirk. Rose's eyes slowly moved to mine and it was like she was waking up from a daydream, because she suddenly seemed to remember where she was and who she was surrounded by. She blinked a few times and stepped back, almost dropping the handkerchief.

"I-I think you might need stitches", she blurted, finding a particularly interesting spot on the floor to stare at.

"I'll be fine", I reassured her with a small smile, "But thanks for the first aid."

"Sure", her barely audible replied.

"Well, this party is over gents", Mia exclaimed, coming to stand beside us with a broom, "I need to clean this shit up and you need to get going. I have no idea if anyone called the cops on us."

 _Cops - that was my cue_. I took the car keys out of my pocket and forced myself to hand them over to Rose. Dimitri came with his own ride and I was in no condition to drive so that left her as the only option. Rose's expression was comical, but she kept her mouth shut and grabbed the keys, probably thinking I'd change my mind if she hesitated for too long.

"See you around Mia", I bid farewell and she just nodded before going back to her business.

We rushed out, Rose practically running to catch up to Dimitri and I. She unlocked the car from afar and Dimitri, before taking off towards his bike, mumbled: "I'll be right behind you."

"Just remember, if you crash the car and we survive it, I'll kill you", I warned Rose as soon as we closed the doors behind us and she fumbled with the keys.

"Don't worry. I won't hurt your baby."

The engine roared and I instinctively glanced at the rearview mirror while Rose prepared to pull out of the parking lot. A flash of headlights from a car that was parked a few spots away sparked into my eyes, obstructing my view of the people inside it. The model and the color seemed somewhat familiar though. And then it hit me.

"Shit."

"What?", Rose asked, moving her foot to the brake.

"No. No slowing down. As a matter of fact drive fast. Really, really fucking fast", I warned, glancing over my shoulder to see where Dimitri was.

"Why?"

"Just do as you're told for once, will you?"

She stepped on the gas and harshly turned the wheel, giving Dimitri little time to tail us as she shot out of the lot. I took out my phone and dialed him, hoping he had his earpiece on. After just one ring he picked up and I wasted no time on introductions and elaborate explanations.

"See the blue Mustang?"

"Blue M... _shit_ ", he replied as I glanced over my shoulder to see him speeding up to catch up as the Mustang joined the traffic and zigzagged between the vehicles separating us from it.

"What's going on?", Rose prompted, taking her eyes off the road to glance at me.

"Watch where you're driving", I exclaimed before ducking towards the glove compartment and taking out a gun, "Dimitri, go up front. I don't want those assholes shooting you off that idiotic thing you call a ride."

"You think they'll-?"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. The blue car raced towards us and its windows began rolling down which left me just enough time to shout: "GO!"

A bullet whizzed passed my window as Dimitri leaned into a sharp turn and slid around us. Rose hit the brakes as some idiot in front came to a harsh stop. The seatbelt bit into my chest, but as uncomfortable as that felt I was glad because it beat flying through the windshield. I snuck my hand over Rose's, hitting the horn with the heel of my palm as I hollered: "Come on, move it you dumbass!"

I glanced over my shoulder to see the Mustang nearing us more than I felt comfortable with and when I turned back Dimitri's voice came from my phone, reminding me we were still on the line: "I'm pulling over. Adrian I think-."

All four doors of the car in front flew open and I realized all too late those weren't civilians that were inside of it. I unclipped both mine and Rose's seatbelts and grabbed her, pulling her down just as bullets began digging into the windshield. She screamed as the glass started breaking and raining over our heads. I reached up and grabbed the wheel, turning it as far as it could go and yelled: "Hit the gas! Rose, do it now!"

She punched the pedal and we jerked onwards, a sickening metallic sound following our movement. The car bumped against the one blocking our way and the one parked next to us until we roughly rolled over the curb of the sidewalk. I peered up through what little was left of the windshield as much as I could without getting my head blown off to see if there were any pedestrians ahead that we were about to run over. Luckily, the coast was clear, but we did bend a stop sign and smashed one of our tail lights along the way.

I was surprised that the other guys weren't on the move themselves already, but I was relieved to have those sons of bitches shooting after us rather than at us. It only took me a moment to figure out what was occupying them though. Dimitri was raining hell down on them, still seated on his bike that was whipped around to block some jalopy whose owner obviously abandoned it the moment the shoot off began. It was the only cover Dimitri had, but it was enough to have kept him alive so far.

I put him on the car's speakerphone just so that I could yell at him and still have my hands free to shoot some bastards: "What the fuck are you doing you non-bulletproof, suicidal maniac?"

"My job", he breathed out, ducking down to recharge as his opponents fought back.

"Turn that thing around and start driving. And you-", I said turning to Rose who was frozen in her seat, still keeping her leg where she was told, but forgetting she had hands apparently, "Take the wheel and keep it steady, I have to fill some motherfuckers with lead."

She snacthed the wheel and got us off the sidewalk just as the Mustang's driver decided to follow our path after all. Dimitri's bike roared and he spun it around, instructing Rose to follow him over the speakerphone. She was quite obedient for once. _She was scared shitless._ It was more than obvious by how tight she was gripping the wheel and how quickly her eyes darted from side to side as she tried to make it out of the narrow streets and onto the highway. I didn't exactly have the time to calm her down, but I did mumble out a quick encouragement: "You're doing great Baby Driver."

"You're not allowed to kill me for messing up your car under these circumstances", she blurted out, actually making me laugh as I rolled down my window and aimed at the Mustang, blindly shooting at it and hoping to do damage.

"If we make it out of this, not only am I not going to kill you, but I'm going to make you first on my _favorite people in the world_ list."

"Who's on that list?", she asked as we finally reached the highway that was luckily relatively empty.

"Let's see", I started, shooting in between counting, "There is me. Obviously. Dimitri. M-, STOP FUCKING UP MY CAR YOU JACKASS. Um. Where was I? Right, my aunt."

"You have an aunt?"

"No, Rose, I have no relatives. I'm an alien", I replied as I reloaded and heard Dimitri come back on the line after a slight pause.

"McCall's on the way. Keep driving. Don't let them catch up", he barked out as the other car joined the Mustang, both now speeding up after us.

"Who else?"

"What?"

"Is on the list?", Rose asked and when I gave her a _really?_ look added, "Please just keep talking cause I'm about to lose my shit."

Well, at least she was honest. I had to say, I was quite impressed that she'd managed to keep it together so far. This wasn't a joy ride for me either, but it wasn't my first car chase or shoot off or well anything. It was weird not to have Dimitri right by me though. It was like I was missing an arm or a leg. _Or a normal and rational brain,_ my mind supplied as another bullet dug into my trunk and I lost it. I reached under my seat and pulled out the magnum stashed there, putting it in my lap so that I could take my jacket off.

"My tailor", I continued as I wrapped my jacket around my hand to clearing the remaining pieces of glass where the windshield used to be, "That man knows his shit. And my cook. Also, Hitler."

"Hitler?", Rose exclaimed as I pulled my legs up and began climbing on the dashboard.

"Just kidding. I just wanted to see if you're still listening."

"What the hell are you doing?", Rose cried out, twirling the wheel a bit in surprise.

"Don't make me fall out. Keep it steady", I warned, twisting so that I could pull myself out further and sit on the dashboard, propping my arms on the roof to steady my aim.

I distinctly heard her swearing her ass off and Dimitri joining the conversation in a similar manner since he obviously looked back to see what Rose was fussing about. _Tinted windows._ Well, that was fine. I didn't care who I was shooting at as long as I got them. I jammed my leg into the space between my seat and the door to keep my balance since Rose did have a few cars to surpass along the way and curled the other one around the dashboard as much as I could. I emptied an entire round before I cursed: "Would it kill you to die you stupid shit?"

"That doesn't even make sense", Rose shouted while the Mustang picked up speed with my bullets no longer hitting it and found its way right on our tail.

"Go faster."

"Adrian, I'm not freaking Danika Patrick."

A bullet flew inches away from my head and I slid back down to my seat, growling in frustration: "Why did I let you drive?"

"How the fuck should I know?"

The other car flew past us and one of the guys on the backseat aimed at Dimitri while he tried to shake them off. I just finished loading my gun again and I grinned wickedly at the guy, even though his eyes weren't on me and said: "Oh, no you won't."

I was just about to take him out when we got hit from the back with enough velocity for Rose to almost crash into the bank as she tried to keep us in our lane. Luckily, Dimitri managed to take care of the problem himself and hide behind the truck that got caught in between all of us. A roar of the engine was a short heads up and then we were hit again even harder. We swirled across the highway like it was made out of ice and I prompted my hand on the dashboard and dug my fingers into Rose's shoulder to keep us both in out seats.

I grabbed the wheel again and ordered: "Put your seatbelt back on."

As soon as she was done I instructed her to take the next exit. She went faster, despite her earlier complaints and fears. That still didn't stop our enemies from following us with only inches to spare. Our backup was close so all we had to do was lead these assholes into a trap. All we had to do.

The next following moments slowed to stretch into an eternity. Dimitri's bike slid under the truck, his knee almost kissing the asphalt. He managed to straighten up just in time to take the exit and we followed close by, leaving one of the cars to skid to a stop in an attempt to reverse and go after us. The Mustang kept up though and as we raced towards the roadblock that had _my guys_ written all over it. The bastards hit us one last time, sending us off the road. We flew down the mound through a wooden fence and into thick bushes, that didn't stop us but slowed us down which combined with Rose's efforts was enough not to have the tree that we finally struck kill us on sight. I think. Because the impact sent me straight into unconsciousness.

* * *

 **Tadammmm! Yes, I know, that's one mean cliff-hanger, but I've decided to post the following chapter a day early next week (my bday is on the eight and I feel like celebrating it with a new chapter :D) so at least that's something! I did promise a lot of action for this one and I hope y'all enjoyed the crazy car chase scene! Anyhow, as always, let me know what you think of today's update in the reviews or through PM's because I REALLY appreciate feedback! Y'all have a great weekend!**

 **XOXO T!**

 **Songs: Another Way to Die - Jack White, Drive It Like You Stole It - The Glitch Mob**


	13. CH13 - Baddest Bitches Poster

**POV: Rose**

 _I can't breath._ My hand shook uncontrollably as I reached up to my face and tried to push away this invisible force that was stopping me from inhaling. My head was pounding and my ears ringing. I opened my eyes but saw nothing except for a blur of colors and dimmed lights. _I can't breath._ Voices flowed towards me, but they were too muffled for me to make out what their owners were saying. I couldn't remember where I was and what had happened. I just felt pain in my chest as I continued to fight for air. _I can't breath_. My vision sharpened ever so slightly when I turned my head to the side. My muscles twitched and my hand fell down. I moved my fingers slowly, feeling my way around. Skin, that uneven, rough line below the thumb. I clutched someone's hand trying to remember who had that familiar scar.

"Ria-n", I heard one voice a bit more clearly now, but I was pretty sure I was just picking up letters that had no meaning.

I blinked and coughed, only managing to breathe in a little. The hand I held onto was unmoving. I frowned and narrowed my eyes at the smudged shape next to me. Green, brown, red, blue and silver - the colors that stood out the most mixed and swirled while I strained to tell them apart.

"Adrian."

 _Adrian? Oh._ I coughed again and squeezed my hand, feeling Adrian's fingers bend under mine without resistance. Green - the bushes surrounding the car. Brown - Adrian's more than usually disheveled hair that for some reason stuck to his forehead and the skin around his ear. Blue and silver - the colors of his suit that was rumpled and covered in tiny, glistening pieces of glass. Red - blood. I opened my mouth and tried to speak, but I only let out a wheeze that even I could barely hear. I could hear someone shouting somewhere near me now as I, with a lot of effort, managed to whisper in a cracked voice: "A-adrian."

Someone's face appeared next to Adrian's window while a loud creaking noise coming from my other side filled my ears. Moments later I felt someone touching my shoulder. I rolled my head over the headrest slowly as an arm slipped under my knees. Adrian's hand was pulled away from mine and soon I was being lifted from my seat. I sluggishly moved my arms, latching onto the person who held me in their strong embrace. I didn't know who they were, but for some reason I felt perfectly safe in those arms. They spoke, their warm breath rushing over my cheek. It took me a moment to realize they were saying my name. I focused on the face before me, but my vision was all screwy again. The only thing I managed to make out were dark eyes that seemed to reach into my soul and grip it tight, like they were trying to keep it intact or, perhaps, steal it. Then everything went black.

Out of the darkness I heard a blaring, screeching sound. Bright lights unevenly danced over my closed eyelids. I screwed my eyebrows before letting my eyes flutter open. A shower of angry goldish sparks flew through the air, almost blinding me.

"The shit?", I croaked out, making that awful noise stop only to be followed by a heavy thud of something hitting the floor.

"The Sleeping Beauty awakes", a cheerful voice replied as I blinked up at its owner.

"Adrian?"

"The one and only Sunshine", he chuckled as I took in his appearance.

He had stitches on his right cheek and his temple, a gauze peeked from behind his left ear, there was an angry bruise on the edge of his jaw and his right arm was wrapped up from his fingers to his elbow.

"What's with the endearments?", I asked as I attempted to straighten up and felt a rush of pain surge through my body.

"Take it easy", he instructed, pushing me gently back into the pillows and gingerly sitting beside me.

"What happened?"

"Long story short: the bad guys found us, they chased us, we all wasted a lot of bullets, the two of us crashed into a tree, were pulled out from what was left of my car by my men and a few doctors later here we are."

"We were in a hospital?", I asked, latching onto the only thing that actually made sense to me at the moment because, seriously, "bad guys" lost its meaning quite some time ago and the rest was just too unbelievable for my mind to be able to wrap around it quite yet.

"No, I know some doctors who were kind enough to come here and bring all the equipment", he elaborated, waving at the few machines that surrounded my bed.

"Of course", I mumbled, finally remembering to peer over his shoulder to the place where his voice first came from, "What were you-?"

"Taking the bars off the window. I thought you'd feel less... _trapped_ if they were gone."

"How thoughtful", I chuckled, my chest painfully vibrating from it, "Is that my reward for ruining your baby?"

"The car? Oh, no Rose, that was definitely not your fault. Your driving skills were actually quite admirable. Besides, I'll get it fixed."

"Why don't you just buy a new one. Don't tell me you can't afford it?"

"I can", he confirmed with a smirk, "But where's the fun in that?"

Just as I glanced towards the door someone walked in, greeting Adrian who got up and moved aside. The new arrival, a middle aged woman with short sandy hair and a white coat, neared me and gave me a calm and pleasant smile before introducing herself: "Hello Rosemarie, I'm Doctor Alberta Petrov. Tell me how are you feeling?"

"Am I allowed to say like crap?", I pushed out, hearing Adrian stifle a laugh.

"Sure", she chuckled, "You're allowed to express yourself however you want, but I'm afraid I'm going to need you to be a bit more specific. Could you rate the pain you're feeling on the scale from one to-?"

"I don't know about any scales, but I can tell you that I feel like my pillow is made out of nails that are digging into my neck repeatedly and like a sumo wrestler is sitting on my chest."

"Those feelings are consequences of whiplash and the impact the airbag made with your body when you crashed. You have a couple of bruised ribs and minor injuries though, so I'd honestly say you were very lucky."

"You mean, I could have winded up as a human pretzel instead?"

"That's one way to put it, yes. However, the obstacles you ran into before the crash and the fact that you tried to stop the car slowed you down enough to minimize the chances of that happening. And the fact that you caught hold of Mister Ivashkov just before the impact basically means that you saved his life."

"I did?", I asked dumbfounded, glancing over at Adrian who had this strange expression as he stared back at me.

I didn't remember much about anything that happened between us getting ran off the road and waking up here. I did, however, remember one thing - his seatbelt was left unbuckled. I had no recollection of grabbing him, I probably did it out of reflex. Either way, I saved his life _. I saved my kidnaper's life. Who does that?_

Alberta continued talking, but I could hardly focus on what she was saying. There was just the burning gaze of Adrian's blazing emerald eyes and this odd feeling that spread through my body. _I was glad_. That was it. I was happy to have saved someone's life, no matter who they were. And although Adrian shouldn't exactly be on my list of favorite people, that didn't mean he deserved to die.

"What about your hairdresser?", I suddenly spoke up, making Alberta and Adrian blink at me in confusion, "Your list of favorite people. Is your hairdresser on it? Because if he or she is, I'm not sure I wanna be number one on a crappy list like that."

"Are you sure her head injury was mild?", Adrian asked Alberta, but couldn't help a smile that spread over his face, "Because, she is saying some weird mumble-jumble about my hairdresser being bad."

Alberta sighed and shook her head while mumbling: "You're like two peas in a pod. Never listening when you're being told important things and always ready to crack a joke."

"Sounds about right", Adrian laughed before he placed his palm on Alberta's shoulder and added, "Don't worry Doc. I know what she needs. Plenty of rest and some kick ass pain meds."

"Why do you even call me if you won't take any of my advice?", she huffed, throwing her hands up in defeat, "Just make sure she remains in bed as much as possible and change her bandages regularly. I'll come back to check on both of you. And Adrian?"

"Yes?"

"The same goes for you. No activities involving too much physical work. Especially those such as sawing through steel", she underlined, tilting her head towards the window, "I mean it. Don't make me put Dimitri in charge of your healthcare. We both know that won't end happily for you."

"Ma'am", he responded, saluting her theatrically.

She made Adrian promise to call her if we needed anything else, said her goodbyes and left. I thanked her for her help and waited until the door closed behind her to ask something her threat to Adrian reminded me of: "Where's Dimitri?"

"Taking care of... _some stuff_ ", Adrian evasively replied.

For the first time I actually didn't want to know what _some stuff_ meant. I was pretty sure there'd be serious consequences for whoever snitched on Adrian and I wanted no part in any of it. I'd had my fair share of violence for the week. However, there was one particular thing that I was rather interested in.

"How hard did we ping on the cops radar?"

"Why? You hoping to get rescued?", he asked with a quirked eyebrow as he strolled back towards the window, not even waiting a full minute before disobeying the doctor's orders.

"Why? You think I could be?", I shot back, making him chuckle.

"Not really. We popped up on their radar, sure, but I have my ways of making problems such as this disappear. I mean, if I got pulled in for questioning every time shit like this happened, it'd actually be more practical for me just to move to the station."

"Is there anything you can't push under the rug?"

Adrian just shrugged and picked up the saw again, warning me to cover my ears and look away. It took him awhile to maneuver the machine into his hands since one was damaged in the crash, but after a few moments sparks flew up and I shook my head, smiling to myself. And then I felt this strange kind of sadness come over me.

 _Things could have been different_. If I wasn't who I was and if Adrian wasn't who he was, things could have been very different. In another life he maybe could have been a good friend. Alberta was right, in some ways we were very alike. Even under circumstances like this, I saved his life and he trusted me enough to remove one of the biggest obstacles I had if I was to escape from here. Even now, it was so easy for me to forget that he was a criminal, a man who had done a lot of bad, someone who was using me for his own benefit. It was too easy to ignore all the reasons why we shouldn't be on each other's favorite people lists. Too easy, but impremissible.

 **POV: Sydney**

 _I ran my hands over the front of my dress and glanced at my reflection one more time before I turned to leave the room. As I moved back towards the kitchen I heard Rose's full-fledged laughter echoing off the walls followed by Lissa's gentle giggle. The sounds made my lips pull into a smile automatically. As soon as I appeared in the doorway Lissa nudged Rose's legs that were dangling from the counter she sat on. I sighed and shook my head, because I'd realized a long time ago it was pointless to reprimand Rose's behavior. She was never going to change and, honestly, I didn't think I wanted her to._

" _Where's Brayden?"_

" _Your snobby boyfriend left to buy some more wine because beer doesn't tingle his taste buds enough apparently", Rose responded and Lissa covered her eyes with her palm at her friend's words._

" _He's not snobby", I defended him, going around the island to check on the pie that was backing in the oven, "He just enjoys things of outstanding quality."_

" _Guess that explains why he's dating you."_

" _Rose", I exclaimed, blushing fiercely at her nonchalant compliment._

" _What? It's true. Right Liss?"_

" _Totally", Lissa confirmed with a thoughtful nod._

 _Before the embarrassing conversation could continue, the doorbell rang to announce my first guests and I rushed away, excited to see more of my friends. This was the first birthday I was celebrating in my new apartment. In OUR new apartment. I was living with my boyfriend now. How unexpected and unbelievable. If anyone asked me a few years ago which one out of the three of us would be the first to get into a serious relationship I would have, without a second thought, said Lissa. Maybe even Rose, despite her free spirit. But me, the girl who had her first kiss when she started college... how did I get here? Sure, Lissa and Aaron were slowly becoming more than just a fling and Rose seemed to have settled down a bit with Jesse, but Brayden could actually be the one for me._

 _As soon as I opened the door I was engulfed in a group hug by my "new gang" as Rose called them. Naturally, they could never replace her or Lissa, but they were very dear to me. Kristin and Julia basically adopted me since the moment I accidently sat next to them in my first week of classes. Duncan and I became friends while working on a paper together. And Ian, the newest addition to our tight little circle, though not our major happened to be training basketball with Duncan so he just sort of hopped on our friendship train and we all rolled with it. As soon as they let go of me and I welcomed them in, Trey popped up behind them and grinned._

" _You should've told me your future colleagues were this hot. I definitely would've chosen law instead of IT", he joked as he wrapped me in a bone-crunching hug._

" _As if you'd actually do any real studying."_

" _Hey, I study... a bit", he exclaimed and we both laughed._

 _Guests pilled in quickly, though there weren't many of them. Just a few more of Brayden's friends and some of my relatives. Trey and Rose, being the troublemakers they always were, made sure to keep everyone's glass full and cracked the music up as much as they could. It was a great party, one of the best I'd had. At some point Julia dug out her camera and insisted on taking everyone's picture. Photography was a hobby she very much enjoyed and it was also the reason why none of our gatherings went by without some crazy pictures to remember them by. I was busy making sure that nobody felt left out, going from one person to another to talk to them, so I was completely caught by surprise when Rose's arm wrapped tightly around me and pulled me to the side._

" _Let's take a picture", she shouted into my ear as Lissa raced towards us._

 _Julia found the best angle just as Lissa bumped into Rose and hugged her, all of us turning our attention towards the lens. I didn't really like having my picture taken, mostly because I always winded up plastering this fake grin that looked terrible. This time though, I caught sight of Rose sticking her tongue out just before the flash went off and I burst into laughter. Moments later Julia ran up to us and turned the camera so that we could take a look at her work._

" _It's awesome", Lissa squealed and she wasn't wrong, for the first time ever all three of us turned out great._

" _Okay, this is it. Juls, can you develop three of these? This is our official baddest bitches poster."_

" _Oh for heaven's sake Rose", I exclaimed while she quirked her eyebrows at me._

" _Trust me, it's going to be your favorite no matter what I call it."_

I counted the money one more time before I opened my wallet to stuff it inside. I ran my fingers over the photo holder, taking in Rose's silly expression, smiling for the millionth time at the tongue sticking out between her lips. _Baddest bitch of the baddest bitches_. Her grammar was really terrible sometimes. Though I never had the heart to tell her that "baddest" was not an actual word. I suddenly felt my eyes sting and I swallowed back the tears that were beginning to form in them, sighing before I folded my wallet and pushed it into my purse.

"So you've made up your mind on this?", Brayden questioned as I got up and flung my purse onto my shoulder.

"Yes."

"Okay then", he mumbled, clearly not satisfied with my decision, but knowing better than to protest, "You want me to drive you?"

"It's fine. I'll take a taxi. You have to meet your mother anyway."

"Right. Call me if you need anything though."

"Will do", I promised before I took off.

It wasn't a long drive, but it felt even shorter since I spaced out for the better part of it. I used my keys to get into the building and then quickly climbed to the first floor, stopping for a moment to catch my breath before I rang the bell. When nothing happened, I pressed the little red button again. A few moments and a lot of swearing later, an elderly man opened up and barked: "Whatever you're selling, I ain't buying."

"No, Mister Hamilton. I'm not here to sell you anything. My name is Sydney. Sydney Sage. I'm a friend of Rosemarie Hathaway."

"Aa, that little delinquent, you tell her she owes me money."

"I know she does. That's why I'm here. I'd like to pay her rent."

"You would?", he exclaimed, eyeing me suspiciously as I took out my wallet.

"Yes. Everything she already owes and the following month. I calculated it myself, but you can do it again if you want."

"Yeah, yeah, come on in", he grumbled, motioning me inside, "Why are you wasting your money? She probably won't pay you back."

"I don't care about her paying me back, Sir. I just don't want her to lose her apartment. She should have a place to—", I started, but then clumsily finished with, "She should have a place."

 _A place to come back to_ , was what I going to say. _If she came back_ , was what my mind added and I shivered at the very thought. The truth was, I was a rational person and I needed to start viewing the situation realistically. It was as if the earth had opened up and swallowed Rose whole, like she turned into smoke that you couldn't catch no matter how much you tried. No trace, no sign, nothing since her phone call. _I'm going to be okay Syd, I promise_. That was what she'd said before she disappeared again. That was the only thing I was left to cling to. The only clue she gave me was that she knew her kidnappers. The problem was, Rose knew a lot of people and she never got to tell me if I knew them too. That didn't give me much to go on. Not that I didn't try. I tried very hard, but I kept hitting dead ends. Over and over. And the police... well, they were about as helpful as a knife when you were eating soup.

"Here's what you need to pay", the old man said as he pushed a piece of yellowish, crumpled paper with numbers scribbled on it into my hand.

I wordlessly nodded before giving him a stack of bills to count while I glanced around. And there I was thinking Rose's "decorative skills" were messy. This man's apartment was a collection of all sorts of useless things, like empty birdcages and waist high stakes of old newspapers. It was dusty, gloomy and all together uninviting. He opened a drawer of the nearby cupboard and pushed the money inside, nodding in satisfaction.

"Well, I'll let you get back to your, um, _rest_ ", I said, extending my hand to shake his.

He mumbled something into his chin and surpassed me, ignoring my hand. _Well, I guess you could only expect so much from a man Rose called grumpy Dumbledore_. I wished him a good night and turned to leave before he added: "And tell that harlot to stop inviting men over."

"I beg your pardon?"

"First that tall, dark one came by. At least he looked like a man. But then those two pale, blond sissies kept coming over and they walk too loudly, wake me up every damn time."

"I, what?"

"You stupid or something?", he barked since I kept blinking at him, barely managing to form an actual sentence.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but how do you know these men you somehow saw were coming to visit Rose?"

"What do you think peepholes are for Goldilocks? I might not own every apartment here, but this is my building. I know what's going on in it every second of the time. Besides, one of them dared ring on my door to ask me questions. Little pest—."

"What did he look like? The one who rang on your door?"

"Hmh", he huffed, his excitement finally leaving him, "I'm not sure I remember. Might need my memory jogged."

 _Was he serious?_ I barely managed to stop myself from rolling my eyes as I reached back for my wallet and dug out a bill, handing it to him. He seemed satisfied enough with what he got so he continued with a lot more details than I'd expected: "Short blond hair, grey-blue eyes, pale, tallish. One of those fancy bastards. Idiots who wear sunglasses on top of their heads at night. Arrogant and violent too. Almost broke my damn door when I told him to beat it. Jumpy, probably some junky. He must be from some tribe or something."

"Tribe?", I asked, putting in a lot of effort to stifle a laugh despite the seriousness of the situation.

"Yeah, you know with those drawings on his hand."

"Tattoos?"

"Right, that", he murmured and I decided to attack him with questions as much as I could before he lost interest again.

"Did you memorize any of the drawings?"

"What am I Picasso?"

"Anything at all?", I prompted, hurriedly giving him another bill.

"There was one that looked like a hawk and a zig-zag one."

"Zig-zag, letter? Like letter Z."

"That's the one."

I felt cold sweat rushing over me, barely managing to stay on my feet as shivers shook my entire body. The old man added that the other guy looked like he could be the arrogant one's brother, but I could hardly concentrate on anything other than the image of a hawk and a letter Z. _I know, I know, his tattoos are tacky, but hey he's hot and very kissable,_ Rose's chuckle echoed through my head. For the second time in two weeks, there he was... _Jesse freaking Zeklos_.

"One more thing, Sir. What exactly did he ask you when he tried to barge into your home?"

"He asked if I knew anything about her whereabouts. Said he'd pay good money if I told him where she was. Said he'd pay me even more if I didn't tell the cops."

"Thank you so much Sir. That was very helpful."

"Ya know, I'd rather give the apartment to you. At least you have some manners", he mumbled and I frowned, almost adding _and money_ to his sentence, but deciding against it since I wanted to stay in the good graces of the only man who seemed to know something valuable regarding Rose's disappearance.

I left in such a hurry I almost missed a few steps on my way down. My mind was in overdrive. I barely had enough brain left to think of lifting my hand to catch a taxi. Jesse Zeklos and a person who looked a lot like him. Blonde, light eyes. _They could be brothers,_ I remembered Lissa saying as I thought of the only person who both Mister Hamilton and she described in the same way. Aaron. _Do you know who they are?,_ I asked Rose and she said _yes._ Shit.

 **POV: Abe**

"İyi akşamlar patron."

"Nothing good about it my friend", I replied as I cracked my neck and leaned back into my chair, "Nothing good when you're doomed to paperwork."

"Well, I have some great news", Erdem offered, trying to smile politely at me, "Your brother called."

"How is that great news? Haven't you been paying attention? In my family, calls occur only when somebody dies."

"Nobody died. He called to let you know that the deal with the akseri is done."

"Ah, well, looks like he can still surprise. How delightful", I mumbled as I picked up my coffee and took a sip. It had gone cold. I glanced at the watch and instantly felt a headache when I saw the time. I pressed my palms against the top of my desk and the mess on it, pushing myself to stand up. My back ached, _I was getting too old for these sitting around for hours affairs_.I glanced at Erdem and added: "Very well. Thank you. You can take the rest of the night off."

"Also, Pavel just arrived. He wanted a word."

"Yes, yes, send him in."

Erdem nodded and made himself scarce. I walked around my office, going over to the window to glance outside. Moonlight glistened over the waves as they crashed against the shore that stretched endlessly or at least as far as my eyes could see. This place had quite the view. It was a shame, really, how seldom I enjoyed it. I leaned against the wall next to the window and my hand automatically twitched towards my pocket. _No cigarettes_. Damn me and my stupid decision to quit. At this point, cigarettes killing me was the least of my worries.

Pavel's soft knock caused me to peer over my shoulder, only to see him standing in the doorway with a grave expression. I was used to more bad news than good so I just chuckled: "So, somebody did die after all."

"No, Sir. Not yet at least."

"What do you mean?", I asked, turning towards him as he took a few steps forward and shut the door behind him.

"I received word from America, somebody has been trying to get in touch with you throughout the past few weeks. At first I didn't think much of it, but then I heard who it was and that got me to explore more into it."

"So, who was it?"

"Adrian Ivashkov."

 _Adrian Ivashkov_. That boy wouldn't quit. I had to admit he actually managed to earn some of my admiration along with excessive irritation. He was a stubborn one. Guess he got it from his father. Better yet, from his great aunt. Now that woman was something. I'd be lying if I didn't say I occasionally kept an eye on how his business progressed after his father's demise and I'd be lying even more if I said I wasn't impressed. The kid knew his shit, as people would say. And he wasn't left with an ideal legacy. Not only did his father make a lot of enemies along the way, but even his own family couldn't stand him. Not that mine could really stand me either.

"What does he want? I thought I made it clear I wasn't getting in bed with him."

"Apparently, he's not good at taking no for an answer. So much so that he did something I don't think anyone expected", Pavel continued, clearly trying to prolong the time before he had to finally tell me what had him so visibly nervous.

"On with it", I prompted, losing my patience since it had, after all, been a long night.

"He—, he kidnapped your, um, daughter, Sir."

"What?"

"He said he wouldn't harm her as long as he got a chance to sit down with you, peacefully, and discuss terms of your cooperation, again."

"WHAT?", I yelled so loudly that Pavel literally shrunk in front of my eyes.

My blood pressure went up in a nanosecond, my head pulsing from it as Pavel's voice, now even lower than before, kept filling the air: "I'm sorry Sir, but I believe he's telling the truth. I checked. She truly was reported missing and word spread that—."

"I'M GOING TO ANNIHILATE HIM."

"Sir, I think—."

"Don't think Pavel. Get me on a plane to America. Tonight."

"But, Sir—."

"TONIGHT."

"Yes Sir", he said before he almost ran from the room.

I supported myself on my desk as my vision narrowed. _How was this possible? How did he find her?_ I'd given up on ever seeing my daughter just to keep her safe and it had worked, for over twenty years it had worked. I'd given up on ever seeing the woman I loved to keep the secret of Rosemarie's parentage. I'd given up on having a family of my own just so this bastard could come around and ruin it. I wasn't just going to annihilate him, I was going to burn his empire to the ground. I was going to kill his secretary's pet. He had made a very wrong move.

 _Or a very right one_ , my mind supplied as I dug through the drawer of my desk and pulled out a tiny, folded picture that was hidden under a lot of rubbish. _My little girl_. She was far from little anymore, but this was the only picture I had, the only one Nicolina had sent to me. _Janine, her name was Janine now_ , I reminded myself for the millionth time. I stared at the big, round, dark eyes of a child in the picture and dull pain spread through my chest.

"Pavel. PAVEL."

Feet shuffled and soon he rushed back into the room, asking: "Sir?"

"Forget the plane. Get me Adrian Ivashkov on the line. I don't care how, just do it. Looks like the boy got the attention he desired. Lets see how well he handles the spotlight."

* * *

 **Hey y'all, as promised, here is the new chapter a day early! And Abe finally makes an appearance yayyyyy! I know a lot of you have been asking about him and now he is finally here! What did y'all think about his POV and the other POV's? Hope you enjoyed the chapter and THANKS to all of you who've been giving me their support throughout the story through PMs and reviews (last chapter got the biggest number of them)! Also thank you to all of you who already sent their birthday wishes! You made my day even more special! "See" you next week!**

 **Lots of virtual kisses and hugs, T!**

 **Songs: I'd Love To Change The World - Jetta, Blood / Water - Grandson**

* * *

 **Translations:**

 **İyi akşamlar patron. = Good evening boss.**

 **Askeri = Military**


	14. CH14 - Turning Tides

**POV: Dimitri**

 _The alarm blared so loudly I was beginning to think that somebody crammed it into my ear while I slept. I rolled over, pulling the pillow from underneath my head and hurling it over the room. It landed on the desired target with a soft thud followed by a low, sleepy mumble. The ringing continued so I finally groaned: "Turn that damn thing off you idiot."_

" _Five more minutes", the mumbling continued as I exhaled and threw my legs over the edge of the bed._

 _I got up, my head heavy and my legs wobbly, and tumbled over the room while rubbing my eyes. I swore under my breath as I hit the top of the clock with my fist, the wailing dialing down slowly and painfully, like a broken record. I glanced down at the human burrito that arrogated my pillow, using it as an ear muffler and shook my head._

" _Get up. We'll be late for work."_

" _No", his cry vibrated through the pillow._

" _Don't make me throw a bucket over your head", I threatened, finally getting his blond head to pop out from the pile and his blue eyes to meet mine through a frown._

" _Why do I let you stay here?"_

" _Because I am, I quote, your best friend."_

" _Was I drunk when I said that?", he chuckled and I ducked down, taking my pillow back from him despite his protests._

" _Quite possibly. Now, on your feet soldier."_

" _Alright, alright, sheesh."_

 _I made my way to the bathroom, hearing his exaggerated sighs and complaints as he freed himself from the covers. I smiled and rolled my eyes, grabbing my toothbrush and turning the water in the sink on. By the time I was done freshening up, he had at least managed to make it to the kitchen, staring at the hob like that would somehow make the water he was trying to boil speed up in the process. He toyed with the belt of his bathrobe as I joined him and opened the fridge to make us breakfast. He tightened the material around him and yawned before he noticed my expression and asked: "What?"_

" _That thing looks ridiculous."_

" _It keeps me warm and if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're jealous?"_

" _Hardly", I shot, but I had to admit this place was freaking cold. I guess that was what happened when you couldn't afford to pay for heating. I grabbed a couple of eggs from the fridge and noted: "It's empty now again."_

" _We'll fill it later. We're actually going to get some solid money from today's work for a change."_

" _Are you sure your friend will come through?"_

" _Galina? Yeah, she always comes through. She, uh, has been helping me out since I was a kid."_

" _Wait, Ivan, this job, it's not—?"_

" _No", he cut in quickly, shaking his head vigorously, "I already told you. I don't go anywhere near that sort of business anymore. If I wanted to be a criminal, I would have never left my family."_

 _I nodded and grabbed a bowl, cracking the eggs against its edge in silence before I finally decided to ask: "Do you ever regret it?"_

" _What, leaving? Hell no! I mean, sure, things have been a bit rough and I do miss my parents, having food in the fridge and not needing a bathrobe to stay warm. But, trust me, the world I ran from... it's a freaking nightmare. It's filled with pain, grief, blood and death. It makes you into something you can't even recognize. It makes you into a monster."_

" _That sounds about right", I mumbled, thinking of the man who I had no other choice but to call my father, no matter how much I hated the very air he breathed._

" _Anyhow", Ivan suddenly said, his face transforming from grave to cheerful in minutes, "It's not something we should be talking about on a fine morning such as this. I actually wanted to discuss something very important with you and I need your full attention."_

" _What is it?", I asked, a bit alarmed._

" _Black bathrobe. How does that sound for your birthday present?", he prompted and I burst into laughter, surpassing him to get on with the breakfast as he kept mumbling, "No. Not a bathrobe. A cape? Oh, I know - A DUSTER. That's it. It'll be perfect Dimka. You'd be like a cowboy from those American movies you like so much."_

I turned the TV off and disposed of the remote control. Two movies and I still couldn't get my damn mind to shut down. I got up from the bed and dragged my tired body over the room, deciding to go for a walk. _Maybe the fresh night air could clear my thoughts so that I could finally get some rest_. I picked up my duster and flung it over my shoulders, pushing my arms into the sleeves as I slipped through the door. It was pretty late so I wasn't surprised to find the house deathly quiet. Probably everyone except for the men on guard duty was asleep.

I strolled across the yard lazily, nodding to greet Ashford and McCall when I passed by their posts. I headed towards the shooting range out of a habit. The garden behind it was the most beautiful part of the yard, especially during late summer when the still blooming flowers mixed with leaves that were slowly starting to dry and change color.

I wasn't really paying attention to much until a strong light coming from the building adjacent to the range drew my attention. _Looks like somebody is burning the midnight oil after all_. I headed towards the gym, intrigued to see who was occupying it. I couldn't say I didn't half expect it, but I was still a bit surprised to find Adrian knocking his fists into the punching bag, his heavy breathing filling the room. By the looks of him, I could tell he'd been at it for quite some time now. His hair was damp, a sheen of sweat making his shirt a shade darker in a thick, uneven circle that spread from his collar to half of his back.

His panting increased until it turned into a growl and the chains that the bag hung from shook violently, threatening to go loose. I was just about to speak up when he suddenly breathed out: "I."

His hits became so strong I thought the leather would fall apart underneath his hands or his skin would crack until it bled. I moved towards him, preparing to tackle him if need be as he added: "Am."

A few more jabs and a textbook example sidekick were followed by another word: "Not."

"Do-ne", was the last thing he managed to say before he almost lost his balance and curled down with a painful cry.

I closed the remaining distance between us, supporting him up while he mumbled something that sounded like _I'm fine_ into his chin. I glanced at his right hand and noticed straight away that it had swelled enough to be double the size it should be. He was clutching his ribs and I prayed to God he didn't rip any of his stitches or worsen the injuries he was still healing from. I helped him to the bench and kneeled in front of him as he angrily tore his hand wraps away from his bruised skin.

"What happened?", I asked, handing him a bottle of water from his duffle.

"Nothing."

"Adrian?"

He looked up at me, but it felt as if he was looking through me. I knew this look, I'd seen it before. Adrian sometimes joked that it was his _my mind will go to shit_ look. To those who believed in such things, he'd seem like someone who knew things and saw things that others couldn't. Like he'd depart from this world to take a stroll through another one, discovering secrets mere mortals weren't privy to. Long ago, I probably would have believed the same thing. I used to believe in a lot of things. Sadly, life had forced me to abandon many of my beliefs. Maybe fear did too.

"Have I corrupted you?", he asked, his voice low and almost dreamy, "Have I deprived you of a better life? Will I drag you down to hell with me?"

"Adrian. Hey, snap out of it", I whispered, grabbing his shoulder and shaking him slightly.

"I have, haven't I? I've doomed you."

"No", I responded calmly, managing to catch his gaze and hold it, "You did no such thing. If I'm going to hell then that's on me and me alone. You didn't force me into anything. You gave me a choice. You're the only one who ever gave me a choice. And a better life? I wouldn't have had a life at all if it wasn't for you. You didn't doom me, you saved me. Do you hear me? You saved me."

He took in an unsteady breath, closing his eyes for a few moments and then opening them again, his vision focused and his mind sober. He lifted his hand and after letting it linger in the air for a few seconds, placed it on my shoulder mumbling: "You're a good man."

Under different circumstances, I probably would have contradicted him, but I didn't want to send his mind into another spiral. I gave him a moment to settle down further before I repeated: "What happened?"

"What I wanted, I guess", he replied, frowning, "My message was heard loud and clear."

"Messa—. Wait, Ibrahim? He got your message?"

Adrian nodded and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his neck while he continued with: "And he responded."

"And?"

"I don't know Dimitri. I'm not sure I can get him to do what I want. All I know is that he isn't known for his patience or forgiveness. I'm all in now, sink or swim. I have the only person that's stopping him from dropping a nuclear bomb on my head and also the only person that could cost me my life. He has agreed to meet and discuss things, but I don't know, I feel like—."

"He won't honor it?"

"No, he'll honor it. But I feel like I'm losing control and that... _scares_ _me_."

 _If he was scared then everyone else should be terrified_ , I thought as I scanned his face that somehow managed to look incredibly young, yet so very tired and aged at the same time. This was weighing on him and I could do nothing to lift his burden. _He never wanted this_. _He never wanted any of this_. He was pushed into it, like Ivan was, like I was. The only thing he did differently was that he didn't run from it. He was smart enough to realize that he couldn't. This was his cross and he was going to bare it for the rest of his life. Just like he said, sink or swim.

 **POV: Rose**

 _How the hell did Sydney survive college?_ , I thought as I tried to force my memory to work long enough to form an actual plan. Two groups, three shifts and double rounds. Or was it triple? Damn it, I really needed a pen and paper. I glanced out the window again and saw McCall strolling past the large, round bushes at the furthest corner visible from where I was standing. And a clock, I really needed a clock. It was getting impossible to calculate the time.

I cracked my neck and then rubbed it since it was still sore from my unfortunate run-in with a tree. I strolled back towards the bed just in time to avoid looking too suspicious since Mason knocked and quickly popped his head inside to tell me lunch was ready. I thanked him and made my way to the dining room.

I was so lost in my thoughts it took me a while to notice that there was only one plate set on the table. Mason was just about to head out when I asked: "Where's everyone else?"

He turned back and shrugged, giving me an easy smile while he replied: "The answer to that is above my paygrade. McCall's around and I'll be at my post if you need me."

"Mase, you do know I have no idea where your post is, right?"

He laughed, slapping his forehead with his palm and added: "Entrance. For this shift at least. So just... holler."

"Thanks."

 _Entrance?_ I thought that was Eddie's post. He left and I glanced down at my plate, blinking rapidly as things began to sink in. Eddie wasn't here. Neither was Adrian or Dimitri. _They weren't home_. All of the other guards too, none of them were here. Why would they leave the house unprotected? _Oh, wait... because almost nobody knew where it was_. Adrian had told me that. Even if he didn't, it would have been more than obvious. They never allowed me to see my surroundings until we were away from the house and I was their prisoner. I had no one to tell and I wasn't exactly what one might call a threat. Besides, Adrian would have been arrested or killed a long time ago if it was so easy for people to find him. _You can't pay off the entire world, right_? And from what I'd gathered so far, he had a lot of enemies and kept making more. Like, for example, my father.

I heard Adrian mention him a few times over the past couple of days. I figured something was going on since this sudden continuous presence of my father's name in hushed conversations between Dimitri and Adrian coincided with a plummet in Adrian's mood. He was on edge and for the first time not really all that pleasant to be around. He'd lose his shit over the slightest inconveniences and... well, nobody wanted to be close by when an eccentric, gun-loving mobster didn't get his way. So I kept to myself, if you didn't count the odd moments when Dimitri kept me company. No, not odd - more like unbelievable. I was the one that was in a car accident, but he must have banged his head too because he was acting hella weird.

Since that night in Zamora when he apologized for his behavior he'd been clearly trying not to repeat it. We were far from being chummy, but we actually managed to have a few pretty normal conversations. He was still extremely secretive and would shut down whenever I brought up any personal topics. He let it slip that he had a few sisters, but he wasn't really specific on the number. I managed to figure out that he lived in Russia for the better part of his life, not that his strong accent wasn't a clue enough. I caught on to a few more things, but in the end, they were just small details that left me even more clueless about the real Dimitri Belikov. He was hiding behind a thick wall of _I'm not here to make friends_ bullshit, but I had a feeling my initial assumptions were right - he wasn't as cold as he wanted people to think.

I picked up my spoon and turned it around, glancing at my reflection in it. _How did I seem to the people who didn't know me_? A small smile spread over my lips as I remembered how Sydney described her first impression of me once we were already friends for a long time. _The girl who'd rather burn the world down than let it tame her_. I wondered if that was even true anymore. I allowed the world to bend me so much I was on the brink of breaking. And I allowed Adrian to keep me captive. If that wasn't taming, then I didn't know what was. _But Adrian isn't here right now_ , my mind supplied and I finally found myself rounding the full circle and going back to the important information Mason had mentioned. The thing that could change everything. _Two groups, three shifts, and double rounds_. Less if there was almost no one around. This was my chance. I could make a run for it.

Escaping was an option I never abandoned. If I had, that would have meant I gave up. I was many things, but a quitter wasn't one of them. Perhaps Adrian was right and the world outside placed a target on my back that would follow me wherever I went, but he claimed I'd be safer with them and after the car-chasing shoot off I wasn't exactly all that convinced by his promises. Maybe those people weren't after me at all. Maybe they were after him and he was just using me as a shield. So maybe there was a chance that he was wrong or lying in order to make me more compliant. All I knew was that I didn't want to be a pawn in anyone's game and I really, really wanted to go home. And now I finally had a chance to try.

I jumped to my feet hastily and then forced myself to regain my composure, calmly picking up my plate and disposing of my food. I slowly made my way up the stairs, glancing around to make sure no one was there. Once at the top, instead of turning to head to my room, I chose the opposite direction, hoping that my destination didn't need fingerprint access too. It was the door right next to the study, one of the doors I wasn't allowed past. I gripped the knob, breathing in and out slowly before I dared to push it down. It tipped and clicked, the door moving forward almost effortlessly. _It was unlocked, how freaking unexpected_! I quickly slipped inside, easing the door to a close before switching the light on.

Even if I didn't know whose room I'd walked into, it wouldn't be hard to guess. The first thing I noticed was an enormous, white, tufted bed with dark purple covers and large pillows. I think it was safe to call it the king among king-sized beds. It could easily and comfortably accommodate four people at least. The twin nightstands that rounded the bed each had posh, silver table lamps on top of them and the fluffy carpet before the bed looked so amazing and soft I'd probably chose to sleep on it instead of the bed if given the chance. Everything else was in various shades of grey and silver, glass and shiny surfaces. Classy, bold and extravagant... yes, this room screamed Adrian.

Sadly, I didn't really have a lot of time on my hands, so checking it out more or snooping around was not really an option, despite the fact that I felt very curious. Adrian, on first glance, seemed like an open book, but even his room showed that his words weren't the only thing about him that could be vague and lacking anything revealing. The space around me looked more like a hotel room or one of those fancy settings they made in furniture stores. No pictures, mementos, no personal belongings whatsoever.

I sighed and pushed myself to finally move, racing towards the bed and grabbing the sheets. I tugged them towards me and rolled them in a messy ball to make them easier to carry. I wondered if I needed to rob Dimitri's room as well, especially since it would have been pretty satisfying after what he did to my apartment, but I decided I had more than enough material for the planned purposes. I guess if everything went well now, I'd never get a chance to see what was hidden behind Dimitri's door. Though I was pretty certain that if his room reflected his character I wouldn't learn much about it either.

Once I stripped everything I could, I dashed towards the door and popped my head out first, scanning the quiet hallway. My heart began playing ping pong with my chest and I instinctively held my breath in as I slid across the hallway and escaped into the relative safety of the room I still hardly ever called mine. With my back against the door, I huffed, letting the purple mess slide from my embrace onto the floor. I gave myself a moment before I skipped over Adrian's sheets and attacked the ones that were on the bed before me.

 _This better fucking work_ , I thought as I grabbed two sheets by their edges and began tying them together. I was fairly convinced I was going to break at least one bone during my endeavors, but this was the only escaped route I actually managed to think through a little. _I needed to wait though_ , I'd concluded as I snuck a peek at the window. There was that short time when the daylight was almost gone and the outdoor lighting wasn't yet turned on that was perfect for my escape. Visibility or rather the lack of it was just one more advantage I could use right about now. I just had to hope the rest of the household wouldn't come back and that Mason and McCall wouldn't go for a stroll in the meantime.

I got up and went to the other side of the bed, placing my palms firmly on the frame and digging my feet into the floor. I took a few quick breaths and then pushed with all of my strength. The bed moved but made too much noise, so I paused and carefully listened to check if I drew anyone's attention. The house remained deathly quiet so I pushed again and again until the bed bumped against the wall next to the window. I slumped down, feeling my muscles burn. _I really needed to start going to the gym_. I glanced out the window again and nervously bit my lips. I was bad at sitting around and waiting so finally I decided to do one more thing before leaving.

I went back downstairs, peering towards the window near the entrance. Mason's red hair caught my eye and I felt more confident now that I knew where at least one of the guards was. I made my way back into the kitchen and went straight for the drawer with the cutlery. I took the very knife Adrian challenged me to attack him with and carefully tucked it into the back pocket of my jeans, glad that it had its casing because I really didn't want to accidentally carve up my butt.

I heard footsteps which gave me only a few seconds to close the drawer and pull my shirt over the knife. I turned around just as McCall showed up and gave me a polite smile while he asked: "Any of the food left? I skipped lunch."

"I think there are some leftovers in the fridge", I blurted out, inching towards the dining room.

Clearly, he didn't find my behavior, presence or extra amount of sweat suspicious since he just nodded and surpassed me, leaving me to my business. If my heart was thumping loud earlier, now it was hammering its way out of my chest and echoing through the entire house. The plus side of my encounter with McCall though, was that I knew where he was too.

The walk to my room seemed way longer than usual and when I was finally there I was past the point of being able to wait. I tied the rope of sheets I'd made around the bedpost and then pushed the window wide open. I popped my head out and scanned the yard before I took out the knife and hurled it into the grass. Casing or not, I didn't want any sharp objects anywhere near me on my way down. I pushed the sheets out of the window and fought to hold back a groan when I realized they barely reached the first floor. Guess I should have stolen Dimitri's sheets too after all. Then not only would my rope reach the ground, but it'd also smell fantastic between his and Adrian's cologne. _Why the hell am I thinking about their colognes_?

"Focus Rose", I warned myself quietly, climbing on the window-sill and throwing my legs over to the other side.

 _Heaven help me_ , I thought as I grabbed the sheets and rolled them around my hands, taking an unsteady breath before slipping down to the first knot. The homemade rope shook and the material made an alarming cracking sound, but it didn't give under my weight. _I'm a fucking genius_ , I encouraged myself as I began climbing down. And then my foot slipped just as I was about to reach the last knot and I ungracefully tumbled to the ground, hitting it hard enough to knock all the air out of my lungs. _I'm a fucking idiot_ , I thought as I rolled onto my side and coughed into the grass, feeling my way around my body for any broken or twisted parts. I pushed myself onto my knees and crawled towards the place where the knife fell, picking it up before I stood up and ran towards the first bushes. One of my ankles ached, but I ignored it since I couldn't afford to move slowly.

As soon as I had some cover I scanned my surroundings again, making sure there was no one around. _I hope Adrian doesn't have boobytraps all over the place_. Since the coast was clear I took off towards what I hoped was the way out of this gaudy prison trying to stay close to the greenery and keeping my head down. Every second passed by agonizingly slow and every ruffle of leaves gave me a mini heart attack and then out of nowhere I ran into the fence.

I glanced up and frowned because of course, nothing was going to be easy for me. _What am I a fucking ninja_? If climbing down from windows wasn't hard enough now I had to climb up and over this damn thing. I extended my hand and carefully brushed the fence because I seriously wouldn't be surprised if Adrian had an electric one built. Satisfied that I didn't get killed so close to being out of here I latched onto to the fence and dug my leg into it.

 _Click_. I froze so solidly an iceberg would envy me and felt cold sweat washing over me instantly. I couldn't breathe and I could hardly make myself even glance over my shoulder, let alone face the person that was most likely pointing a gun at the back of my head.

"Step away from the fence", a voice that was familiar despite its newly acquired sharpness instructed.

I uncurled my fingers at the command feeling unsteady as I slowly turned to face Mason. _Looks like it was triple rounds after all_. Adrian really had an admirable set of employees. Mason shook his gun to the side, indicating I should start walking in that direction, but I didn't move. _This was it, all or nothing_ , I thought as I gathered the courage to speak.

"Go ahead and just shoot me right now. I'm not going back."

"Rose, don't be stupid", he warned, stepping closer, "Let's just go back inside and I don't even have to tell anyone what you did or, well, tried to do."

"No."

"Rose—."

"Mason, please, I just... I want to go home. Please."

"You really think you can make it?", he asked, his brow rising in a challenge.

"I don't know", I breathed out, feeling a chill run through my body, "But if you give me a chance, I might. No one will know that you let me go. With a few seconds difference, you wouldn't have even seen me. You can just finish your round, go to fake check on me and then alert everyone when you fake find out I'm gone. It'll give me a head start and you won't get in trouble. Please, please give me a chance."

He fixed my eyes with such intensity for a moment he had me thinking of his bosses. He really picked up a lot from them. He didn't have that hard look when I first saw him. And it didn't seem natural, it just seemed well practiced. _No way he was going to betray Adrian and Dimitri. You fucked up Rose, it's over_. He took another step towards me and a shaky sigh escaped me, but then he lowered his gun and nodded.

I blinked at him a few times, not believing my eyes, but when he made an impatient expression I remembered to start moving. I grabbed the fence and started climbing, slowing down only to maneuver my body onto the other side. I slipped down and then just jumped when I was halfway to the ground, my ankle practically screaming at me now. I looked through the grid that separated me from Mason only to see him staring at me, his gun hanging loosely in his hand. I mouthed thank you and he just simply whispered: "Good luck."

And then we both took off, praying for the best outcome.

* * *

 **Hey everyone, hope you're having a great weekend and that you enjoyed this chapter! I'm gonna keep this AN short and just thank everyone (again) for following, reading and reviewing this story! As always, let me know what you think about today's update and I hope I'll "see" y'all next week!**

 **XOXO T!**

 **Songs: Control - Halsey, The Mountain - Three Days Grace**


	15. CH15 - Threats and Negotiations

**POV: Dimitri**

I tapped my foot against the pavement and glanced over my shoulder again. The men standing behind us were watching me and it put me on edge even more than the situation we were in. As if the turmoil their looks were causing within me wasn't enough, Stan suddenly spoke up in a nervous tone: "We should be in there, with him."

"Adrian knows what he's doing", I confidently claimed, but truthfully I wanted to kick the doors down and hold Ibrahim Mazur at gunpoint more and more with each passing second.

I wondered if somebody had read my mind or if the universe simply decided to grant me a favor because, seconds after those thoughts appeared in my head, a waiter popped out of the restaurant, lazily asking: "Which one of you is Dimitri Belikov?"

I straightened up and met his uninterested gaze as he added: "You're needed."

He disappeared back inside and I rushed after him, not waiting for anyone else to make any attempts at following. I'd been here before so I knew exactly which direction to go in even without the waiter showing me the way. Adrian liked coming here. I never really understood why, the places he usually went to were way more elite and modern. _I guess he really liked the food here_. Also, it was usually packed and it sometimes seemed like he actually enjoyed the noisiness of it. This time, however, there were only two customers. Ibrahim and Adrian sitting on opposite ends of a small table right in the middle of the restaurant. The food before them had visibly gone cold and was untouched. They sat in silence as I walked towards them and neither of them looked up until I was standing right next to Adrian.

"Well, if it isn't the legend in the flesh", Ibrahim exclaimed as his dark eyes that sparked a feeling of strong familiarity traveled to mine and Adrian's remained glued to him, "You know, I think many envied Mr. Ivashkov here when he managed to recruit you. It's rare to find someone so… _talented_."

"Talented?", Adrian quietly questioned instead of me.

"Yes. Indeed. Though it was apparently something that was meant to be kept hushed, I did manage to hear about the massacre in R—."

"I'm sure we have more important things to do than dwell on the past", Adrian sharply cut in, earning an intrigued look from Ibrahim.

While the two men entered a staring competition, I tried to regain control over my lungs since the moment Ibrahim spoke I felt like an invisible fist knocked all of the air out of my body. My mind tried to force a reel of memories to start playing through it, but I fought against it with all of my strength. The nightmares were enough. I didn't need or want to deal with my demons when conscious.

"How is your mother?", Ibrahim asked suddenly, making my attention snap back to him. I frowned despite my attempts to keep an emotionless facade and felt the tension within me growing as he continued with a sickening dose of amusement: "You seem surprised. You shouldn't be. I know a lot of people and Olena is, if I may say, one of the lovelier ones."

I didn't respond simply because I found myself with nothing to say. Now I knew why people feared him so much. He was good, really good. He knew exactly which buttons to press to get a reaction from someone. And I... I was trying really hard not to give him the satisfaction of succeeding.

His daughter was more like him than she'd think. Only her I couldn't really fear even if I tried to. Not yet at least. She had years to catch up on, much to learn about the world and her family and not nearly enough leverage to make me consider her dangerous to me or my family. Also, she had a heart and I had a feeling Ibrahim's had frozen over long ago, much like mine.

It seemed like I wasn't the only one shocked by his claims that he knew my mother. Adrian straightened up and finally looked at me, scanning my face to see if he needed to cut in once more. Ibrahim chuckled and crossed his legs, hooking his arm around the backrest of his chair.

"Relax. I don't use family members to make threats", he shot nonchalantly before his eyes traveled back to Adrian, his expression hardening, "Unlike some."

"Like I said, not threatening, just negotiating."

Ibrahim nodded and glanced over his shoulder. The waiter who called me in joined us again, adding another chair for me. I kicked the chair so it'd slide closer to Adrian, unbuttoning my duster and moving it back just enough to make my holster visible as I sat down. Ibrahim patiently waited until I stopped moving and then continued with: "Let's negotiate then. That is, after all, the reason I asked your cousin to join us."

I had missed something. I peered over at Adrian, trying to figure out what had happened so far, but his expression wasn't giving anything away. His behaviour was a good hint though that something was indeed wrong. I could tell just by the way he pointedly stared at everything and everyone but at me that he didn't want me involved in whatever was about to happen. He didn't even want me to be in the room. Sadly, it seemed like he wasn't calling the shots this time.

"Say I do as you asked, help you get rid of that old yokel Victor and not kill you once you hand Rosemarie over to me. What happens in the meantime? How can I trust you to keep my daughter safe if you can't even keep yourself safe?"

"I told you. Rose will be perfectly—."

"Yeah, you told me, but I'm not good with empty promises and hollow words. I need more."

"More?", Adrian asked, clearly growing impatient since the hand he rested on his leg moved and he began drumming his fingers on his knee.

"Him", Ibrahim replied, cracking his head towards me, "I want him to be responsible for her. Not you, not your other guards. Just him."

"Fine", Adrian shrugged, but that for some reason made Ibrahim's lips pull into a smile that could easily bring a chill to one's bones.

"I don't think you quite understand me. Every inconvenience that happens to my daughter will be on you, both of you, and I won't hesitate to punish you for it. However, to ensure her safe return to me and her mother, I want Mr. Belikov to be fully responsible for her. And his responsibility towards my daughter will be extremely binding. If she gets hurt, I'll hurt him even more. If she is scared, I'll make sure Mr. Belikov can't even blink from fear. If she, God forbid, dies... well, you get the picture. That way I know you, Mr. Ivashkov, will bend over backwards to protect her because I know damn well you've lost enough family and I'm certain you wouldn't want to lose him thanks to your rash and uncalculated actions so far."

"What happened to not using family members to make threats?", Adrian snapped, his fingers abandoning the drumming to curl into a tight fist.

"I'm not threatening, just negotiating", Ibrahim threw Adrian's own words back at him with a satisfied smirk, "And also giving Mr. Belikov a chance to make a decision on his own. Unless you'd like to make one for him?"

 _Checkmate_. He had him. He had both of us in his palm, squeezing the life out of us without even laying a hand on either. He placed Adrian in an impossible position and I knew what his next move would be just as much as Ibrahim did. So I decided to change the rules.

"Fine. I agree to your terms. If the worst happens, I myself will be the one to load your gun with the bullets meant for me", I calmly responded, seeing Adrian almost jump out of his chair from the corner of my eye as the words left my lips.

"Very good, Mr Belikov. Though I wouldn't use a gun. That would be way too easy and quick. No, I'd take my time with you", he spoke in a low and icy voice with a devilish look in his eyes before his face sparked up with surprising cheerfulness and he extended his hand to me, "So we have a deal?"

I shook his hand and watched Adrian reluctantly do the same after which Ibrahim added: "Splendid. So you boys try not to mess anything up while I settle in and prepare for this war you want me to wage on your behalf and everyone will get to keep their body parts... well, except Victor of course."

He stood up, but Adrian pressed his foot over mine to stop me from doing the same. He didn't want to let Ibrahim turn us into puppets more than he already had. Ibrahim politely said goodbye and pointed out that he and Adrian would stay in touch before he called the waiter and followed him to the register at the bar.

"What the hell did you do?", Adrian hissed through clenched teeth.

"What needed to be done", I replied, following Ibrahim with my eyes until he was gone.

Adrian was clearly preparing to fight, but I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket and I lifted my hand to stop him from speaking. He let out what almost sounded like a growl while I glanced down and realized there were eight missed calls from McCall popping up on my screen. I moved the phone wordlessly, holding it out to Adrian to see before I dialed and turned the speaker on. After only a single ring a panicked voice came from the other side: "Why the fuck haven't you picked up?"

"I'm busy. Adrian is listening", I replied, having the decency to warn McCall since his manner of speaking differed when he was making conversations in front of his boss. I didn't think Adrian could even guess how much the man tended to swear. However, this time he didn't seem to give two cents about who he was talking to.

"It doesn't matter. We are in some deep shit. Deep fucking shit."

"What happened?", Adrian and I asked in unison.

"The Mazur girl. She's... gone."

 **POV: Sydney**

 _How could I forget my phone? I never forget things._ Forgot, past tense. It was easier to keep everything under control when my thoughts were well organized. Now everything in my life seemed like a big unconnected mess. I glanced at the dashboard to check the time since the lack of my phone left me no other options and smiled at Brayden when he wished me good luck as I got out of the car.

I could feel my insides turning already as I waited for the elevator. My hand began shaking when I lifted it to knock on the dark grey door on the third floor. I couldn't believe I felt so nervous about seeing one of my best friends. Then again, she was so mad at me that maybe my nervousness could be justified after all. It took her a few moments and when she finally opened, I half expected her to slam the door right back into my face.

"What do you want?", she asked in a voice too cold to even sound like hers.

"To talk."

"It's a little too late for that", she said, backing away as she clearly didn't intend to let me inside.

"Lissa, wait, please. I didn't think—."

"Yeah, exactly, you didn't think. That's the problem. How would you feel, huh? How would you feel if I accused Brayden of something like this. I mean, he hates Rose so maybe _he_ kidnapped her."

"He doesn't hate her", I automatically replied, earning an exasperated huff from Lissa and then, while I still had a chance, added, "I'm truly sorry."

"Sorry about what?", she snapped, throwing her long, blond hair over her shoulder, "Sorry that you wrongfully accused my boyfriend of kidnapping or that you didn't come and talk to me about your suspicions first?"

"Both", I mumbled, fixing my eyes on the threshold that separated our feet, "I'm really, really sorry about both."

I heard Lissa sigh, but didn't dare look at her while I waited for her to make up her mind about whether she wanted to give me a chance or not. Finally, being the good hearted person she was, she caved. I didn't deserve it, but I almost jumped from joy when she muttered: "Whatever. It's Aaron you need to apologize to anyway. He is the one who spent hours at the police station being ill-treated for no damn reason."

"I want to. I will. Is he here?"

She rolled her eyes at me and motioned me in. I hurried passed her, not wanting to give her a chance to change her mind. As she closed the door behind us Aaron popped his head into the hallway, probably with the intention of seeing what was keeping Lissa occupied for so long. His face froze up a little when his eyes landed on me and I felt a blush creeping up my face faster than I could blink.

"Hey, um, Syd", he greeted awkwardly, but way more pleasantly than I'd expected.

"Hello Aaron", I responded in a slightly more formal manner, "I was hoping I could talk to you."

"Yeah, sure."

"I'll go make some tea", Lissa announced, dashing towards the kitchen.

I followed Aaron to the living room, both of us sitting down on the sofa like it would bite our behinds as soon as they'd touch it. He attempted to lean back casually, but just winded up striking an odd pose that would, under different circumstances, surely have made me laugh. However, I was still aware of how difficult I'd made the situation by my crazy theories and so I knitted my hands together in my lap and cleared my throat, starting with: "I would like to apologize for the unpleasantness I'd created for you by talking to the police about something I was wrong to assume. I'm very embarrassed and feel guilty for the things that I've said and I'm hoping that, even though I don't in any way deserve it, you could find it in your heart to forgive me."

He patiently waited for me to finish my little speech, nodding along and then after a few minutes of complete silence looked me in the eyes and asked: "How long did it take you to come up with all of that?"

"About an hour and a few more to practice it", I breathed out, feeling a bit silly now that all of that was all out.

"You do know you could've just simply said _sorry_ , right?", he chuckled, rubbing his neck sheepishly, "You're not addressing a jury Sydney. I mean, I'd like to think we're friends despite what had happened and that you can feel comfortable enough to, you know, keep it simple."

"You're right", I confirmed, smiling at him, "So, I'm... sorry."

"Apology accepted."

"You could've at least let her stew a bit", Lissa yelled from the kitchen making us both laugh. Of course she was eavesdropping and of course she hopped towards me and threw herself into my arms for a hug as soon as Aaron and I cleared things up. She forgave people easy, even though she pretended that wasn't the case.

It was Rose who would sulk until you turned yourself upside down for her. Thinking of Rose I added: "I was grasping at straws. I'm worried, but you guys are too so that's no excuse and—."

"Sydney", Aaron cut in raising his hand to stop me, "Keep it simple."

"Oh, okay", I blurted, blushing again.

"Simple is not in her vocabulary", Lissa laughed, getting up to go get the tea she had abandoned before their landline rang.

"I'll get it", Aaron announced, rushing towards the hallway.

By the time he returned, Lissa and I had started drinking our tea and she began filling me in on every detail of her life I'd missed since the last time we spoke. I missed hearing from her and I was beyond glad she was no longer mad at me. The mistake I made was huge, but I think they understood why I made it. We were no closer to finding Rose and we were all forced back to our usual routines even though nothing about it felt natural or familiar. _You can't miss work indefinitely_ , Brayden had lectured me last week and he was right. I wasn't doing anyone any good by meddling in things I couldn't fix or solve. Actually, I only almost made things worse after accusing Aaron to be one of Rose's kidnappers. _How could I become so ridiculous and crazy_?

"Who was it?", Lissa asked as Aaron sat down and grabbed his cellphone.

"Telemarketers."

"At this hour? Jesus."

 **POV: Rose**

 _My ankle was going to be unusable after this_ , I thought as I pushed myself to run even faster. Grass tickled my legs while I raced up the mound towards the lights surrounding the road above me. When I reached the railing I hugged it tightly with both hands, bending over as I coughed heavily. I gave my lungs a minute to try to catch up with me. _I think I left them somewhere in between the gates of Adrian's estate and this very empty middle of nowhere_. After a few moments I threw my leg up and straddled the railing, rolling over to the other side unsteadily.

I decided to head in what I thought was the opposite direction from the highway because I figured that'd be the first place Adrian's men would start looking. It turned out I was right about the direction, but so wrong to make that decision. It seemed like I was only getting farther and farther away from civilisation and the more time I spent wandering the less chances I had of getting very far. All I knew was that I needed a phone and I needed it fast. Being on my own was a good way to get myself killed faster than I'd like. Not that I would like to get killed at all.

 _Left or right_? I picked the latter and jogged close to the edge of the road, hoping a car might pass me by at some point. Hitchhiking was not my most ideal option, but it certainly beat walking until my feet fell off. It was a bit worrying that I was less afraid of running into some psychopath or a rapist and way more afraid that the car I'd see would turn out to be one of Adrian's. Then again, Adrian certainly wouldn't hesitate to make me pay after the stunt I'd pulled and he most certainly had the upper hand judging by the fact that I only had a kitchen knife to use as a weapon and he had guns, lots of guns. Though a psychopath or a rapist with a gun was a very realistic possibility too.

My questionable train of thought was interrupted by faint headlights sprawling over the road, accentuating my shadow on it. I stopped and twirled around, trying to make out the vehicle from afar. It looked like an old pickup truck so I let out a relieved breath knowing there was no freaking way Adrian would drive a piece of junk and threw my arms in the air, waving at the driver vigorously. At first it seemed like they were just going to pass me, but just as I prepared to start cursing, the truck suddenly slowed and drove off the road a few feet away from me. I raced up to it just as the man behind the wheel leaned over to glance at me through the window.

"You lost kid?", he asked, pushing his glasses up his nose with his index finger.

The man had about fifty years on me and he gave me a small smile that seemed sincere so I left the knife tucked behind my belt and leaned on the window, replying: "I'm afraid so."

"Come on. I'll give you a ride", he chuckled, cracking the door open for me.

I quickly hopped inside and shivered, not even realizing how cold I felt before I sunk into the chilly worn out leather seat. The man shook his head as I rubbed my arms to warm up and reached behind me, grabbing one of those grandpa's favorite kind of sweaters from the back seat. He handed it to me and before I could decline his offer chuckled: "Don't be stubborn. You wouldn't want to catch a cold now, would you?"

I wanted to point out that, though the temperature declined and I was under the influence of adrenaline seeping out of me along with my muscles cooling off, it was summer and I didn't need something that thick. However, I had a feeling arguing would be pointless so I thanked him and threw the sweater around my shoulders. He restarted the car and turned it back towards the road while asking: "Where to?"

"Anywhere with a phone."

"If it's a phone you need, you can use mine. It's right there in the glove compartment."

"Oh thank you so much, that would be great", I blurted, wasting no time to accept his offer.

"Sure, sure."

I took a few calming breaths as I pondered on who to call. The police was out of the question because Adrian had cops on his payroll and I didn't want to risk one of them picking up. Calling my mother was so not happening and not just because I was beyond pissed at her, but also because I honestly didn't trust her. And my friends... well, I knew I could bring a lot of trouble down on their heads by reaching out to them. I barely suppressed _fuck_ flying out of my mouth as I stared at the phone display. Finally, I decided to hope for the best and selfishly went for the third option.

The phone rang for a while and just as I thought she'd finally picked up I heard a beep followed by 'you've reached the voicemail of Sydney-'. _Shit_. I hung up and tried again, but the result was the same. _Oh come on, the woman practically lived with her phone in her ass and NOW she chose not to pick it up_. I huffed in irritation and the man next to me laughed: "Ah, you're just like my granddaughter. So impatient."

 _Well I sure as hell hoped his granddaughter wasn't trying to get away from her kidnappers and having this much bad luck while she was at it_. I tried to be as polite as possible while I asked: "Do you mind if I try again?"

"Kid, try as many times as you want. I'm in no hurry."

I glanced back at the keypad and swallowed a lump in my throat while silently cursing my bad memory. Lissa had changed her number two months ago and I never thought I'd live to regret not trying to memorize it within my brain rather than my phone. _Fucking speed dial_. I was just about to try Sydney again when an idea suddenly popped into my head. _Thank heavens for the only person in town aside from me who still owned a landline_. Maybe my memory was crap, but I'd called Lissa so many damn times when we were kids on that very number that there was no possible way for me to ever forget its digits.

A few seconds stretched into an eternity and then my prayers were answered. I practically squealed: "Lissa! Oh thank God."

"It's Aaron. Who's this?"

"It's me you dumbass", I laughed almost hysterically, "Rose."

"For real?", he asked, his voice rising in what I figured was... excitement.

Aaron was always a bit of a weirdo, but right now he was the most loved weirdo on the planet. A million sentences ran through my head, but finally the only one I managed to push out was: "I need you to come and pick me up."

"Yes, of course. Where are you?"

"I, um, hold up a second", I blurted out, glancing at the man who had turned on the radio in the meantime and began tapping his fingers on the wheel to the rhythm of some country song that was playing, "Sir, can you tell where we are?"

"You can call me Jim, kiddo. We are on Route 488."

"And where's the closest gas station?"

"Just off Washington Ave. It's close by."

 _Hell, we could literally be anywhere_. There must be at least ten Washington Ave's in the area. I was just about to tell Aaron to start Googling his ass off when Jim came to the rescue and added: "There's a motel called Three Dancing Bulls a few streets away from the station if that helps."

That was the most ridiculous motel name ever, but I could have literally kissed old Jim right then and there because he had just potentially saved my life. I repeated everything Jim said back to Aaron and warned him not to speak to anyone but Lissa, cops included. I wrote down his phone number on a piece of paper Jim gave me and he promised to be at the station soon before we hung up.

I let out a long and unsteady breath, finally feeling like I could relax a little. _I was going home_. I did it. All there was left to do now was to keep my head down and wait for Aaron. Jim and I rode in relative silence the rest of the way and when he stopped to drop me off I'd realize that he was truly one of the rare wonderful and kind people left in this world. He wouldn't take no for an answer until I accepted the money he offered me for a coffee and a phone if I needed it again. He even apologized for not having more cash on him. I thanked him profusely, but he just chuckled and said: "Don't worry about it. You stay safe now."

And then he was off. I hurried inside, deciding to stroll around the aisles for a while to pass the time and warm up. I eventually bought a cup of coffee when I figured I was becoming a bit too suspicious to the woman eyeing me from her place next to the register. I asked her where I could find a phone and she directed me towards the booth behind the station. With nothing better to do I went there and sat on the edge of the pavement, sipping on the coffee and checking the time on the clock that hung inside the station.

 _Ten minutes. Twenty. Fortyfive._ Finally, when an hour went by and Aaron's car was nowhere to be seen, even though I took at least ten strolls around the station, I decided to call him. _Bless you Jim_ , I thought as I pushed the change into the phone and leaned against the wall of the booth. After almost a whole damn minute the call disconnected. _Okay, don't panic Rose. He is probably just driving and not looking at his phone_. I rolled the rest of the change around my palm trying to decide when to use it. I only had money for one more call. I banged my head against the glass wall of the booth and growled before I inserted the coins and typed the number again. It only managed to ring once before somebody's hand flew past me and slammed the switch hook.

"Dude—", I began saying as I started to turn around, but my voice stopped cooperating as soon as I breathed in an all to familiar cologne.

"You. Are. In. A lot. Of trouble", big, tall and scary hissed out slowly while I looked up into his dark eyes and shivered.

 _A lot of trouble indeed_.

* * *

 **Soooo, a lot of tension in this one, huh? I had so much fun writing it though! Especially since I can hardly wait for Abe scenes! What do y'all think? How much trouble Rose will be in? What do you think will happen next? I know I can't wait to share chapter 16 with y'all cause it's wild! I hope everyone's having a great weekend and that you enjoyed todays update! Feel free to review or PM me with your feedback and I'll "see" everyone next week!**

 **Kisses, T!**

 **Songs: Jailbreak - AWOLNATION, Never Going Back - The Score**


	16. CH16 - Intimidation

**Warning: This chapter contains some potential triggers! This story is rated M for two reasons: lemons (yep, they're coming) and violence! Sadly this time it's the latter!**

* * *

 **POV: Dimitri**

Not even more than a few minutes after I vowed to be Rosemarie's guardian I managed to lose her. _Fucking fantastic_. I cranked the throttle back angrily, making my bike jerk and hurl forward. I raced down the road, glad to have it all to myself since that made it easier for me to watch out for 5'7 of pure annoyance. Adrian hadn't called yet, which meant he was just as close to finding her as I was. We split up, covering a few possible directions she could have taken off towards. Rose was many things, but stupid was not one of them. She was going to be very careful about where she went and who she talked to. We just had to hope we'd get lucky before we ran out of time.

I felt like I was driving in circles for what seemed like forever before I glanced down at the fuel gauge and was tempted to head straight into a brick wall. _Was there a worse possible moment to be low on fuel_? _How could one man be so unlucky_? I sighed and drove towards a large sign indicating a gas station. It was relatively empty so I wasted no time filling up the tank. I needed to keep moving because every second I wasted was a second I was closer to drowning in a pile of shit that awaited me if Rose wasn't found. I half ran inside, taking the money out of my wallet in a haste. The cashier was completely oblivious to the hurry I was in, causing my last bit of patience to run out. I turned to leave without the money she was trying to gather up and barked: "Keep the change."

And then something caught my eye. A flicker really, but a flicker that had me whirling back around and gaping out the window to the parking lot in disbelief. There she was, just outside the very fucking station I happened to stop at because I was low on fuel. A needle in a haystack that somehow winded up in my grasp without me even digging deep enough to find it. I could see her clearly from where I stood. Her dark locks were splayed over her blue blouse, the contrast of colors making her hard not to notice. She was nervously tapping her foot on the ground as she leaned against the wall of a phone booth, holding the headset to her ear. _How could one man be so lucky_?

It took me a moment to realize the cashier was talking to me. I glanced at her and croaked out: "Sorry?"

"You changed your mind about the change?"

"No, no, keep it", I quickly mumbled, backing away slowly so I wouldn't attract attention, just in case Rose decided to turn around.

Once outside I ducked down slightly, moving quietly towards the back as I took out my phone and quickly sent Adrian a message. When I reached the corner I peeked around it only to see Rose still standing in the booth, staring down at something. I kept my pace slow and even as I began approaching her so I wouldn't alert her. Though stealthiness was apparently unneeded because she was too busy knocking her forehead against the booth as she let out an audible growl to pay attention to much else. I was halfway to her when she picked up the phone again and punched numbers in it, making me prolong my steps.

 _Her observational skills are nonexistent,_ I thought as I stopped mere inches away from her. I pushed my hand over her shoulder to cut the call she was attempting to make. She jumped up and tried to turn, knocking her shoulder with my chest and exclaiming: "Dude."

And then her voice trailed off and I could almost see the hairs on the back of her neck flying up. I felt her body tremble from the change in her breathing, which increasingly turned rapid. I didn't move away. I would have liked to tell myself it was because I was trying to intimidate her to prevent her from attempting to run or fight me. I had no idea if she was aware of the fact that if she began making a fuss she'd cause a lot of trouble for me, enough to make it very difficult for me to simply take her back to Adrian's house. But that wasn't the reason I didn't move away. The truth was, I momentarily became paralyzed by the smell of her wild hair and the warmth of her skin that I could somehow feel through the clothing that was separating us. _Pull yourself together man_ , I thought as my own breathing began rising out of control. She was just a woman. The most gorgeous woman I'd ever seen, but one whom I didn't have the luxury of viewing as anything other than a responsibility. _My responsibility_.

"You. Are. In. A lot. Of trouble", I pushed out as her eyes shot up to mine and a shiver ran through her.

She didn't say anything, just kept blinking up at me with visible panic spreading over her face. She was like an open book, every thought, every feeling, every intention written all over her face the minute it crossed her mind. It was odd to be in the presence of someone so guileless after such a long time. Ivan used to be just like her. It was one of the things that kept making it harder for me to treat her emotionlessly and professionally, treat her the way I should.

Since the night Adrian and her almost died I felt... conflicted. I knew how I acted around her before the incident and how I was supposed to continue acting, but from the moment I pulled her out of that wrecked car something in me changed. Maybe it was the fact that she held his hand when we reached them that had shown me a side of her I was for some reason blind to before. There was something so pure and good in that little gesture. She had every reason to want us both dead, yet she showed obvious concern about Adrian's well being even before we left Zamora.

Maybe it was how fragile she looked when I got through that smashed door and picked her up: curled in my embrace, clutching to me with the last of her energy, her long eyelashes fluttering as she desperately tried to hold on to lucidness. I didn't think she even realized how brave she was. Anyone else, when faced with everything she had lived through in the past few weeks would have crumbled to pieces, but she stayed strong. And it was so impressive that seeing her without her usual sass and defiance had me completely dumbfounded.

Maybe it were the things that followed, the time I'd spent with her while Adrian prepared to meet her father. The way she acted, unguarded and inviting, making me want to spill all of my secrets to her even though I knew I shouldn't. The little teases, the smiles, the way her eyes tried to get passed the walls I'd built around me and take a peek at my soul. _She wouldn't like what she'd see there though_. _I was sure of it_.

Be that as it may, whatever it was that made the biggest impact, Rose managed to... _enchant me_. I fought against her hold like I'd fight against any threat I'd face. She was a threat after all, just not in the way I'd expect. She couldn't harm me physically, not severely at least, not yet. But she could harm me in other ways, only if she knew she could.

"Start walking", I commanded, not wanting to have to manhandle her.

 _Who are you lying to?_ , my mind challenged, _You just don't want to be faced with the temptations her touch could bring_. I clenched my fists and began moving, trying to avoid such thoughts all together. She wordlessly obeyed, following every step I made as her shaking increased until her teeth almost started chattering. It wasn't that cold so I could only imagine why she was in such a state. _I guess the idea of intimidation worked_. She peeked up at me and opened her mouth, but nothing came out. _Maybe it worked too well_. Not only was she not putting up a fight, but she was also having trouble speaking.

"If you... if you do as you're told this will go by much more smoothly for you", I awkwardly tried to reassure her, but even I cringed at my own words.

She fixed her eyes on the ground as we approached my bike and barely whispered: "I just wanted to go home."

 _I know the feeling_ , I thought as I dug my keys out of my pocket and moved to give her enough room to climb onto the bike. She eyed it with uncertainty, but was propelled to move towards it when a van stopped next to the fuel dispenser behind us, leaving little room for us to stand around. She reached towards the handle, touching it lightly with her fingers as the door of the van loudly slid open and I started to turn towards it, the proximity of the noise making me a bit uneasy. The only thing I managed to see though, was a baseball bat flying straight towards my face. The impact was strong enough to have me soaring backwards and toppling over my bike. I heard Rose scream, but the sound quickly became muffled. I reached for my gun, trying to sharpen my vision despite the immense pain I felt spreading from my nose, but the bat came down way too quickly and struck me hard enough to knock me out cold.

 **POV: Rose**

The last thing I remembered were hands grabbing me and pulling me away from Dimitri as he fought to roll off his knocked over bike and get up. A filthy rag covered my mouth and nose, an awful smell filling my nostrils and then I was out. When I opened my eyes again I felt too groggy to even think straight for a few moments. I felt like somebody filled my ears with cotton pads and as they were slowly, magically being pulled out I thought I heard someone call my name. A few more seconds passed and then I heard it loud and clear: "Rose!"

"Huh, what?", I mumbled, trying hard to pull my head up even though it felt too heavy to even keep it on my shoulders.

"Hey, look at me", the voice came again as I blinked a few times and then caught a glimpse of dark eyes that sharpened through the haze.

"Dimitri?"

"Yeah. It's me. Are you okay?"

"Define okay", I replied as his face crystallized before me.

The first thing I noticed were thick, uneven lines of dried blood bellow his nose. They popped up over his lips and stretched to the edge of his chin, continuing as stains on his shirt. _Ouch, that must have hurt_. His hair was the messiest I'd seen on him so far, slightly resembling Adrian's style but lacking the actual stylishness. The rest of him looked pretty banged up and dirty from the ground he sat on. His hands were behind his back and as I tried to move mine I realized we were clearly both handcuffed to... _poles_? _Where the fuck were we_?

"I don't know."

At first I foolishly thought he had read my mind, but then realized I'd actually said those words out loud. I pulled my legs up, leaning my forehead against my knees as I groaned: "Ugh, my head is pounding."

"Chloroform does that", he supplied, finally making me realize what that God awful smell was.

"What happened?", I cried out into my knees, feeling an immense desire to hurl my guts out.

"The very thing Adrian warned you about", he responded, in an almost mocking manner, "You fell into the wrong hands because you just wouldn't stay put."

"Awesome. Whose hands are we talking about?"

"I don't know yet", he mumbled, making me look up at him.

"Would you look at that? The great, all knowing Dimitri Belikov is as clueless as I am. Isn't this a monumental day?"

"This isn't the time for jokes", he snapped, reminding me of my mother for an instant.

"Do you hear me laughing Comrade?"

His eyes stayed fixed on mine for a few seconds before he began wiggling and turned his head in an attempt to look over his shoulder. I used the opportunity to glance around and take in our surroundings. Sickly yellow lights, bare walls stained with what was probably blood, no windows, no floor, just dried dirt. Behind Dimitri I could see a door that made me think we were in a submarine and on the right there was another pole like the ones we were tied to and a set of chains left in a pile on the ground.

"This is a torture dungeon, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it that", Dimitri huffed, a wince crossing his face as his shoulder moved to a very awkward position, "But, essentially, yes."

"Terrific. That's—", I exclaimed, feeling my heartbeat speed up, "The fuck are you doing?"

"I—, oh come on!", he started, clearly getting annoyed by something before he glanced at me and added, "I'm trying to break free before whoever captured us comes back."

"And how are you going to do that? Cause I'm pretty sure these people, whoever they are, weren't dumb enough to leave you with many means to pick a lock or whatever it is that you are doing back there."

"Many means, no. Doesn't mean they unintentionally didn't leave me with some of them."

"Well—."

I was going to tell him to hurry the hell up, but as I started my sentence the door made a loud sound and after a few seconds swung open. Two men walked in and I straightened up, feeling a wave of panic wash over me. One of them, a short, bulky looking guy with blond hair and muddy eyes gave Dimitri a creepy smile, propping a baseball bat on his shoulder while he questioned: "How's the nose, Dimitri?"

I wasn't really surprised by the fact that the guy knew who he was talking to. I was pretty sure they didn't snatch us just for the fun of it. What I was surprised by was how awful Dimitri's name sounded coming from the his lips. It was a pretty name, but the guy rolled the 'r' in a painful and ghastly way making it lose its appeal. I didn't see a spark of recognition in Dimitri's eyes though, so I was sure he couldn't give the blond the same favour of butchering his name. He did, however, make sure to show him he was not in the slightest moved by his teasing, replying with a comment that made me want to scream _burn_.

"Better than your face."

The blond snarled and swung the bat, like he was preparing to use it before he was stopped by the other guy: "Chill Ralf, boss man said to keep him on ice."

Ralf didn't seem at all pleased to be reminded of his orders and Dimitri, for a reason known only to him, provoked him further by saying: "Aren't you a good little dog?"

"I'll show you—."

"Ralf, enough", the other man warned again, giving his friend or colleague or whatever he was to him a sharp look after which he turned his attention to me, "Miss Mazur, how are we feeling today?"

"Hathaway", I pushed out while he approached me and kneeled before me, fixing his blue eyes on me.

 _Actually, eye_. The other one was a fake, a rather good fake, but nonetheless not his real eye. That only became noticeable when he came closer to me than I'd feel comfortable even with someone I knew and didn't fear. He seemed calm, but there was something scary in his calmness. Ralf struck me as the kind of guy who was impulsive and most likely pretty thick, but this guy was something else. There was something calculated in the way he watched me and something _animalistic_.

"Is that so?", he asked with a small twitch of his lips, "Let's settle for Rosemarie then."

"Let's not", I automatically replied, but almost instantly wanted to smack myself for it.

I did _not_ want to make them angry. If there was anything I'd learned about this world it was to keep your mouth shut unless you wanted to deal with the consequences of being a smartass and those consequences were most likely almost always going to be immeasurably bad. Luckily, he actually looked amused by my response and even chuckled: "Sassy. I like that."

Ralf joined him, standing above the man with a stupid grin as I wiggled so I'd get as far away from them as I could. Dimitri was quiet, too quiet and out of the corner of my eye I could see him moving again. _He was using the lack of attention on him to continue picking the lock on his cuffs_. That meant the best thing I could do now was stall.

"So, you know my name and Dimitri's. We know this is Ralf", I prompted, glancing up at man I named only to see him fidget at my words, "Perhaps you should leave the club of nameless faces and finish the introductions."

"You shouldn't have told her my name", Ralf mumbled as his partner in crime laughed.

"Why? Who's she gonna tell?"

 _They were going to kill us_. That much was clear just by the confidence of the guy when he pointed out that learning their names meant jack shit for me. The same desire to puke that I had earlier came back even stronger, but I tried to keep myself in check as the guy added: "Keith."

"Keith, do you mind me asking what we're doing here?"

"Waiting", Keith responded shortly, clearly baiting me into a conversation, which was fine by me because the more we talked the more I could see Dimitri moving out of the corner of my eye.

"Waiting for what?"

"Who? It's a who we're waiting for. He's somebody who would very much like to make your _acquaintance_ before you meet your untimely demise."

 _Shit_. I swallowed a lump forming in my throat and forced myself to stay calm instead of bursting into tears and screaming for help that I was pretty sure wasn't coming. He clearly expected me to do just that, crumble down and shrivel, so he was evidently surprised when I kept my tone even and questioned: "And why does he want me dead?"

"Everybody wants you dead Sugar", he chuckled, reaching towards my face with his hand and grazing my cheek with his fingers in a way that made my stomach turn, "Which is a shame really. You're a pretty little thing."

"Keith, let's talk outside", Ralf suddenly spoke up as I held my breath in when Keith's cold fingers moved to my neck.

Keith gave me one more look that seemed to say _don't go anywhere_ even though that wasn't exactly up to me and then got up, following his jumpy friend outside. Once the door closed behind them, I let out a shaky breath and looked at Dimitri who wore a grim expression, but avoided looking me in the eyes as he asked: "Are you alright?"

"F-fine. How's it going over there?"

"It's a work in progress", he muttered, clearly unsatisfied by his lack of success even more than I was.

"No pressure, but you might want to finish up with that before their boss puts a bullet in each of our brains."

"No pressure, huh?"

I flattened my legs on the ground and stretched as far as I could, managing to knock into the heel of Dimitri's booth with the tip of my sneaker. It made him look up, which was exactly what I was aiming for and I mumbled: "I'm sorry for getting you into this."

He stilled, his expression softening up slightly. I really was sorry. Actually, I was beginning to feel sorry for trying to run in the first place. Not that I'd tell him that and not just because we were facing a very probable death right now. As bad as being a prisoner was, it was quickly becoming clear that Adrian truly was the only one who didn't want to hurt me or kill me. Also, all of this, what I'd done, could have easily put my friends in danger. If Aaron had arrived before Dimitri... well, I didn't think Ralf and Keith's boss would have been very interested in keeping a random civilian alive for more than a minute. He'd be dead and it would be my fault.

"You didn't", Dimitri almost whispered, "I got myself into it."

Somehow I got the feeling he wasn't talking about the current situation, but before I could ask him about it, our captors returned. _Captor_ , _there was just Keith_. His gaze fell right on Dimitri's and my foot that were still touching and he gave us both a twisted smile as he commented: "How cute."

He moved towards me and quickly disappeared from my sight. I felt him grabbing my handcuffs and after a few moments they made a soft click. I had no time to do anything about the fact that my hands were free now because he harshly pulled me up and twisted both of my arms against my back in a way that had me longing for the days I thought that what Dimitri was doing was manhandling. He handcuffed me again and I could feel his breath on the back of my neck as he plopped his chin on my shoulder.

"We're going for a walk", Keith hissed, making a shiver crawl up my spine.

Dimitri audibly yanked his cuffs, his lips tightening over his teeth as a low growl escaped him. I felt my legs tremble as Keith pushed me forward and shot to Dimitri: "Don't worry. Ralf will keep you company. He isn't as lovely as your sweetheart, but you'll make do."

I kept my eyes fixed on Dimitri for as long as I could while Keith navigated me towards the door. Dimitri must have seen the pure terror in my eyes because he yelled after me: "Rose, you're going to be okay. I promise."

"You really won't be", Keith whispered into my ear, " _I_ promise."

His words finally created a spark of resistance within me and I attempted to fight my way out of his hold. The only thing I managed to do was cause myself pain and entertain him, but I wasn't about to give up that easily. I gave him a pretty tough time as he tried to maneuver me up the stairs that led away from the basement where we left Dimitri. When amusement turned into annoyance, he dug his thumb harshly into my biceps and propelled me forwards, making me lose my footing. The only thing that kept me from meeting the stairs with my face was his rough hold as he simultaneously pushed me and dragged me towards the door at the top where I noticed Ralf waiting, the bat still attached to his hand.

We were in a house, that much was clear when Keith finally managed to get me topside. It looked abandoned and extremely creepy, but at least the air around me didn't feel so thin anymore. Not that I could really appreciate that since my lungs weren't functioning properly either way. My heart was working too damn fast for that to be possible. Ralf eyed me for a moment before it was his turn to warn Keith: "Don't kill her."

"Of course not, but he said we could keep ourselves entertained while he gets here. Rosemarie and I are just going to have a bit of fun, that's all."

 _Was he going to beat me up? Torture me? Or_ —? I knew it'd probably be pointless, but I filled my lungs with as much air as they would take and screamed. I half expected either of the men to clamp a hand over my mouth or something, but neither made no attempts to interrupt my cry for help. Actually, they started laughing which only confirmed my suspicions. _No one will hear me here. No one except for—_.

"DIMITRI", I desperately shouted as Keith made me move again and Ralf headed downstairs, "D—."

"Your boyfriend isn't coming, Sugar", Keith jeered, spinning me around and grabbing my arms with both hands as he walked me back into the other room, "But I am."

With that he pushed me away and I shrieked before falling on top of something that squeaked under my weight. I instantly kicked up when he tried to come closer, managing to actually land a few nice blows which made Keith stumble. My hands were tied behind my back which made it difficult for me to move. I managed to roll over though, facing the dirty and torn up mattress Keith had thrown me on, awkwardly making my way across it in a desperate attempt to reach the other side and put the bed between him and me. Before I could, he grabbed my legs and dragged me back, seizing my hair and yanking my head back. He was slightly out of breath, but his voice still managed to sound sickly calm when he blurted out: "That's right. Keep that up. It's only turning me on more."

His hold on my hair tightened and he used it to throw me on my back again, pinning me beneath him. I could literally hear my pulse pounding in my ears. It banged loud enough to dull all the other sounds in the room, each noise becoming more and more muffled the faster it raced. He grabbed the top of my blouse and wrenched it, making the material rip. I had never been more terrified in my entire life than the moment I looked up to Keith. I could see everything he wanted to do and everything he was about to do in that single, heartless look he gave me, and felt my entire body stiffen in apprehension to what it was about to endure.

But then he flew off me with such velocity that he made me fall off the bed along with him. I tumbled to the ground, most of the impact absorbed by my shoulder which made those tears finally spill. I blinked passed them though and lifted my head up, catching sight of Keith rolling on the floor with a painful expression as he clutched the side of his head. The man who stood above him with a baseball bat looked like Dimitri, but wasn't him. Not really. Because the way he looked at Keith as he lifted the bat again not only didn't seem like Dimitri, but it didn't even seem human.

He brought the bat down so hard on Keith's head I wasn't sure if the cracking sound I heard came from the splintering bat, or Keith's skull. Keith tried to get away from his attacker and cried out what I assumed was supposed to be 'You son of a bitch', but that heavy hit had done quite a bit of damage and his tongue rolled languidly around in his mouth. That was the last thing he managed to say.

Dimitri slammed the bat into him over and over until it reduced to nothing more than splintered pieces barely held together by Dimitri's grasp. Still not satisfied, he proceeded to beat Keith's blood-soaked form with his fists and anything else he could find lying around. I closed my eyes and curled up on the ground, the sickening sounds of bones cracking accompanied by gargled cries as Keith choked on his own blood filled the room until eventually, all that was left was a slow, wet pounding and Dimitri's heavy breaths.

I completely tuned out, focusing only on the shaky sound of my own breathing until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I twitched back in panic, looking up at the pair of chocolate eyes darkened by hatred and blazing with fury. Only when they finally seemed to settle on mine and really see me, they lightened and his face, which was sprayed with blood that was no longer only his, fell.

"Is it—, is it over?", I stammered, not daring to peek at what was left of Keith.

"It's over. You're okay. You'll be okay", he reassured me, all of sudden looking almost as shaken up as me.

"I know", I whispered, feeling my whole body tremble, "You promised."

* * *

 **Sooo I hope this chapter was worth the wait, especially after the cliffy from last week! I know it's pretty... gory, but oddly it was rather interesting to write! I went crazy with descriptions so I hope y'all didn't get bored! I had a lot of help from my wonderful beta/editor on this one and I'm really happy with how it turned out! I'm looking forward to getting feedback (y'all have been amazing at that lately) and I hope to "see" everyone around next week!**

 **XOXO T!**

 **Songs: Game of Survival - Ruelle, Run - AWOLNATION**


	17. CH17 - Action and Reaction

**POV: Dimitri**

" _Randall don't, please don't."_

I shook my head and tried to clear my mind while I searched Ralf's body for the keys to the van parked outside. We needed to get out of here before anyone else had a chance to arrive. Rose stood above me, but refrained from helping me look. I didn't blame her, the very sight of both of our captors was not something anyone would want to see let alone come anywhere near. And though Ralf's remains weren't nearly as managaled as Keith's, even I felt my stomach turning at my handywork. _I did this_.

I was honestly surprised Rose didn't run for the hills and as far away from me as possible the moment I freed her from her cuffs after what she'd witnessed. She was unusually quiet, but aside from that frightened little jerk of her body when I first touched her, she didn't try to distance herself from me again. Actually, she followed me around in step, probably thinking even I was a better option than any other enemy that might stop by.

As soon as I got my hand on the keys I stood up and motioned Rose back towards the stairs. I took two steps at a time and winded up walking so fast she literally had to run to catch up. I didn't even pause once we reached the van, but instead quickly unlocked the door for her and hurried to the driver's side, leaving her to get in by herself. I figured we were in a desolate area with only one road in and out so I decided it'd be best if we had a firearm in case we ran into whomever got these men to kidnap us. They had no guns on them so I was left to hope that maybe they kept their weapons in the van, if they had any.

"Can you please see if there's anything useful in the back?", I spoke up once we were seated, making Rose stiffen for a moment before she carefully slipped between our seats and disappeared from sight.

I started the engine and headed towards the road, keeping an eye out for any headlights that didn't belong to us. I focused on driving, not letting my mind slip back to the haunting images playing on loop in my head. I'd have to deal with that when all of this was over. Or maybe I'd do what I always did, shut it all out until all of those terrifying thoughts and guilt only had room in my nightmares. Perhaps I couldn't find escape from them, but I could at least run fast enough to make it hard for those thoughts to catch up.

"Our stuff is here. No phone though", Rose announced, her hand popping up next to my shoulder as she held my gun out for me.

I took it and asked: "Do you see any sorts of tools?"

A lot of noise followed before she added: "Yeah, there's a toolbox."

"Good."

She shortly returned to her seat and handed me something else. I peeked at her and saw she was holding up a rag. She must have noticed my frown because she immediately supplied: "It's not the one soaked with chloroform, I checked. You can clean yourself up a little... if you want."

Confused, I glanced at the rearview mirror and realized all too quickly what fueled her suggestion. More than a half of my face was covered in blood, some of it dried up and some fresh. I had a strong stomach, but I was surprised Rose didn't hurl by now. I was nothing short of a gruesome sight. I thanked her and took the rag, seeing her quickly retract out of the corner of my eye. She was scared of me _. Of course she was, she'd seen what's underneath the mask you hide behind_ , my mind screamed at me as I roughly scraped my face with the rag.

"What do you need the tools for?"

"Huh?"

"The tools", she prompted, while I made a harsh turn after I caught a glimpse of streetlights in the distance.

"To hotwire a car. We can't go back for my bike and we can't take this junk anywhere near home and risk someone tracking us through the licence plate."

"Okay", was all she said before she turned towards the window. She stayed uncharacteristically calm and composed through the rest of the ride, only moving to tug her blouse over her breasts when it slipped away and exposed them too much. The material was tarnished from her scuffle, but I avoided looking at where it was ripped so I wouldn't make her uncomfortable.

Luckily, we didn't run into anyone by the end of the dirt road. Regardless, I decided to ditch the van as soon as possible just to be safe. I stopped at the first parking lot I found. It was actually a rest stop, but it was small and only housed a few vehicles. I drove past them, checking if there were any drivers sleeping behind their wheels before I pulled over. As we got out of the van I felt a rush of cold air hitting my body. We were at the top of a cliff which made us more exposed to the wind harshly rolling around the parked cars. I opened the side door and got the toolbox Rose had found, taking it and all of our stuff out before I slid the door to a close.

When I turned around I saw Rose standing a few feet away from me, hugging her body as she stared at the horizon spreading beyond the cliff. I dropped the box and shook out my duster, approaching her slowly so I wouldn't startle her. She looked up at me and stayed perfectly still as I wrapped the duster around her shoulders. Her face lacked any visible emotions which was odd to say at least when it came to someone who was usually like an open book. The only thing that made me certain it was indeed Rose standing before me was the way her eyes seemed to pierce right through me, reaching into my mind and heart, past the walls I'd built there.

"Thank you", she whispered robotically and I found myself quickly stepping back to break the tension that had begun building in me under her gaze.

I picked one of the older cars knowing it would take less time to get it going. Rose sat on the hood and patiently waited for me to finish. When the engine roared and I straightened up to motion her in, I noticed she was no longer where I'd last seen her. Instead, she stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down. I got out of the car and shouted: "Rose."

She didn't turn around. I started walking towards her and called her name again, but she still kept her back to me. Only when I almost bumped into her did she face me and there was a look in her dark eyes that I'd never seen before. It wasn't even close to being a warning of what she was about to do. Her hands shot towards me in a way that had me convinced she was going to attempt to hit me. Instead, she grabbed the front of my shirt, the material bunching up from her tight hold on it. I felt paralyzed which was what allowed her to easily pull me closer. Her eyes looked wider and even more enchanting up close. In the brief moment they traveled to my lips I realized what was on her mind. I opened my mouth to try to stop her with words because I couldn't, for the life of me, get my body to do it, but she didn't even give me a chance to breathe in. Not that breathing would have done much for me because the moment her lips crashed against mine I felt my lungs collapse completely.

She tasted like honey and her lips were as soft as feathers, but there was something fierce in the way she kissed me. I felt a warm, shaky gasp escape her as my hands moved on their own accord, carefully wrapping around her arms. My mind instructed me to use my hold on her to push her away, but the only thing that took any action were my lips as they followed hers. As soon as I responded to the kiss, her grip on my shirt tightened up to the point I was sure she was going to rip it. And then all too soon she was pulling away.

I didn't even realize I'd closed my eyes until they fluttered open and instantly sunk into deep, dark pools that were right before them. This was the first time I'd noticed the flecks of gold scattered around her irises. That gold made her eyes look like they were harboring a small fire that could become a raging flame at any given moment. She held my gaze, with her lips still inches away from mine when she whispered: "Thank you."

Her voice didn't sound robotic anymore. It regained its usual quality. I wasn't quite sure what she was thanking me for exactly, but I had a feeling it didn't really matter. I was still too stunned to attempt any kind of a vocal response so I settled for a short nod. She wiggled out of my hold and brushed past me, walking away like nothing had happened. Maybe it felt like nothing to her. _After what she's been through, do you really think this was nothing_?, I argued with myself, but was quick to shake off the warmth she had brought to my body and squash anything that could be called a feeling. I could NOT allow myself to get carried away. This was just... _I have no idea what this was_.

I turned around and found Rose sitting on the passenger's seat, looking at me through the windshield with expectancy. At first I was slightly confused by the look she gave me, but then it hit me. _She's waiting for you to pull your shit together and get in the damn car you idiot_. I rushed towards her and hurriedly got behind the wheel, fumbling with the wires I left hanging below it to restart the car. I pulled out of the rest stop a little sharper than I intended and headed home. I drove fast, eager to arrive there before Adrian started a war on Rose's and my behalf, but also eager to put as much distance between Rose and me as possible until I could figure out how to get myself in check. What I allowed to happen, could never happen again. Never.

 **POV: Rose**

 _What the hell did I do? What the hell was I thinking? WHAT THE HELL?_ I got out of the car and barely managed to force myself to peer at Dimitri who motioned me to the side of the road. The stairs next to the overpass were narrow and hidden in the shadows of the trees surrounding them, but my eyes for some reason glued to the back of Dimitri's head instead of helping me watch where I was going. My feet slipped up a few times, but I managed to reach the bottom without tumbling over the man in front of me. He turned to head under the overpass and I quickly followed him, not wanting to fall behind too much.

He glanced at me when I matched his pace and I felt my cheeks burning the instant his eyes scanned my face. _I freaked him out. I freaked myself out_. The worst part was that when I recalled the moment we stood on that ciff, the thoughts and feelings that ran through my head when I looked into his eyes and then at his lips, I knew why I did what I did. It was a really bad decision, but in that moment it felt like the most right thing in the world and that scared me. I'd witnessed him killing a man in cold blood. I'd witnessed him turning into an animal, ripping that man to pieces until there was nothing left. It should've scared me, should've made me think he was nothing but a monster. Should've, but it didn't. _Maybe I was more like him than I thought._

"We're not far", he announced, despite the fact that I didn't attempt to question him on our location.

I nodded and readjusted his duster on my shoulders the best I could since it was gigantic compared to my more normal sized frame. I caught a whiff of his cologne radiating from the collar of the coat which instantly made me think of the way I breathed him in when his chest heaved under my hands and his lips... _fuck Rose, stop thinking about it_. I tried to distract myself by forcing a conversation with the first question that popped into my head: "You think Adrian will be home?"

"Probably."

 _So he was back to short responses... great_! I sighed, clearly making him misinterpret what was on my mind since he quickly added: "Don't worry. He might be a little angry at first, but things will... blow over eventually."

I didn't even think about Adrian's reaction to what I'd done until Dimitri brought it up. _Awesome, just one more thing to worry about_. On the plus side, at least I got Dimitri to form an actual, full sentence. And he was for some reason trying to soothe me, which was out of the ordinary coming from him. However, neither of us found anything else to say for the rest of our walk until the large gates of the entrance to the estate appeared before us.

Dimitri instructed me to keep my hands visible and walk slowly and soon I realized why. Red dots appeared all over our bodies as Adrian's men moved in the shadows and began yelling at us, waving their weapons. If somebody was to lose their way and wind up here, they would definitely shit their pants. It was an effective defence from curious eyes. Dimitri shouted back and soon we were greeted by none other than Eddie and Mason who were among the welcoming squad. There were also a few new faces around, but Dimitri seemed to know all of them, nodding to a couple of men and shaking the hand of the one he addressed as Hans. We were immediately escorted to the house and as we walked I fell a bit behind Dimitri. I could still hear him giving Hans a rundown on what happened, thankfully leaving out the gory details, and asking him to get rid of the car we'd left behind.

When the gaze that rested on the back of my head became too pressuring to ignore I peered over my shoulder, meeting Mason's eyes. The look on his face could only be described with one word - sad. He must have truly believed I could make it or else he never would've let me go. And now, not only was I back here, but he probably felt responsible for what had happened in the meantime even though it was absolutely none of his fault. I tried my best to smile at him, thinking I could at least reassure him a little, but he just looked away, his expression even more somber.

As we entered the house I felt a chill run through me. _Here it goes, all hell's about to break loose_. I expected to have Adrian's hands choking the life out of me as soon as we stepped into the living room. He didn't notice us at first though. He was standing near the fireplace, staring at the flames as McCall spoke to him in a hushed manner. McCall's voice trailed off as soon as he saw us standing at the threshold, but after a few moments of pure shock that was evident on his face he exclaimed: "Well I'll be damned."

Adrian's head sharply turned towards him and then followed his gaze to Dimitri who took a few steps forward. A million emotions seemed to run over Adrian's face in a nanosecond as he turned away from the fireplace. The last thing I caught a glimpse of was a surprising amount of affection that was followed by him crossing the room in a few long strides and pulling Dimitri roughly down into a hug. He wrapped his arms so tightly around Dimitri's neck I thought that maybe he decided to choke Dimitri too for good measure. Dimitri didn't seem to mind though, hugging Adrian back and patting his back with one of his hands. I'd never seen them act so _intimate_. It was odd, especially for Dimitri. He rarely made physical contact with anyone unless he was attacking them or making a professional gesture.

Adrian stepped back after a few moments and gripped Dimitri's shoulder as he asked: "Are you alright?"

Dimitri nodded to which Adrian added: "Good. Never do this to me again."

I thought Dimitri would point out that this wasn't exactly his doing or say something painfully obvious like that, but instead he simply mumbled: "Understood."

McCall approached them as Adrian moved away and grabbed Dimitri's hand tightly, shaking it while he said: "It's good to have you back, friend."

"Thanks Kit, it's good to be back."

 _Kit?_ I think this was officially the first time Dimitri had called him that. He was really into first names lately. _Rose_ , my mind repeated his voice when he addressed me. The way the 'r' rolled over his tongue always did funny things to me. I didn't even know my name could sound sexy until he spoke it. I was momentarily lost in analyzing phonetics, but I still winded up gaping at McCall as he finished whatever he was saying: "—but I'm pretty sure it was Zeklos."

"I'm sorry, Zeklos?", I blurted out without thinking, reminding them that I was there too.

Dimitri and McCall both looked at me with questioning eyes as McCall carefully said: "Yes, Jesse Zeklos. Why?"

A small, hysterical laugh escaped me as I glanced up at the ceiling and cried out: "My ex is a mobster. SERIOUSLY? Well that fucking explains a lot. I can't wait to see what's next. My high school teacher is a spy? My neighbour's cat has a camera attached to its collar?"

"He's your ex?", Dimitri asked in a strained voice and when I looked back at him I could see his face twisting into an almost angry expression.

I wasn't sure what the reason behind such a reaction was, but instead of dialing it down a bit I couldn't keep a dose of bitterness from my voice as I questioned: "Didn't you know that? Y'all said you knew everything about me."

"Clearly, we don't", Adrian mumbled so quietly I barely even heard him. That was when I realized Adrian hadn't looked at me since we arrived. Not once, not even a peek. Actually, he was avoiding even turning towards me as a matter of fact. I expected a lot of things, but ignoring someone was not exactly his style. I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything else Adrian added: "McCall, please take Miss Mazur back to her room."

McCall moved towards me before I could try to protest and gently nudged me to start walking. I figured the best thing to do was play along. Maybe it was wise to avoid Adrian's attention after all. And, as much as the idea of going back to being imprisoned between those four walls scared me, I still felt too tired... no, exhausted to get into a fight or do much else.

When McCall closed the door behind me, leaving me all alone, I sighed and leaned against it. I slowly lifted my gaze and looked around. _Back to square one_. Just a bed with clean sheets, a nightstand and a bathroom with fresh towels. That was it. _Even the curtains were missing_ , I noticed as I glanced at the window. And then I saw something else. The double bars that were placed on it. Yep, that was a message - not that Adrian thought I was Hulk or Houdini, but that I fucked up, big time.

I felt my eyes sting as my legs finally gave out and I slumped to the ground. I couldn't decide what bothered me more. The fact that I tried to take control of my situation and failed miserably? That my actions put others and me in harms way? That I felt so unbelievably helpless when Keith—? I glanced at my torn blouse and a sob escaped me. _I want these damn clothes off_.

I pushed myself up and grabbed my blouse, trying to tug it off. I'd realized Dimitri's duster was still hanging from my shoulder when it fell and crumpled around my feet. I left it there, ripping the torn, blue material further as I wiggled out of it and threw it at the opposite wall. I stripped the rest of clothes angrily and then dashed towards the bathroom, avoiding any surface that could reveal my reflection. I didn't want to look at myself right now.

I turned the shower on, stepping underneath it as another sob erupted from my mouth. I rubbed my skin angrily, digging my nails into it hard enough to leave marks all over my body. The water was burning and coming down on my head hard, but I welcomed it because it muffled the sound of my crying and masked the tears rolling down my cheeks.

I stayed in the shower until I had no more tears left and my snivels dialed down. I used every towel at my disposal to wrap myself up before returning to the room. There, on the floor, still lay Dimitri's duster. I walked up to it and picked it up, carefully folding it in my arms. _I should return it_. Not just because it wasn't mine and I was sure he wanted it back, but also because it would give me a chance to get out of this room that had me feeling claustrophobic all of a sudden.

I quickly got dressed and I rubbed my eyes a few times, hoping they weren't too red and swollen before I plopped the duster over my arm and went to the door. I banged on it and stepped back, waiting as patiently as I could for someone to open it. When nothing happened, I banged again and again until McCall swung it open. Before I could even set a foot outside though, he blocked my way and asked: "Where to Miss Mazur?"

"I need to see Dimitri."

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen for now", he slowly replied, still standing in my way.

"Why?"

"Because I was given instructions you were to stay in your room unless there was an emergency."

"Well, it's an emergency", I snapped, but his eyebrow just shot up slightly showing me he wasn't even close to buying into it.

"I will let him know you wanted to see him though."

"Fine, whatever", I mumbled, stepping back despite it being the last thing I wanted to do.

His expression was pitying which only annoyed me further. However, I knew his intention was probably not to make things worse so I just huffed a quick 'good night' and took a few more steps back as he closed the door. I walked straight up to the bed and toppled on it with a loud sigh. I layed Dimitri's duster out on one side of the bed and rolled onto the other, pulling the sheets over my head to hide from the rays of the early morning sun from the outside. _Damn Adrian for taking the curtains away_.

At some point, the exhaustion won out and I felt my mind slipping away from the ugly reality. When I came to, I was splayed over the bed like a seastar with the covers messily tangled up around my legs. The sun had already disappeared from my window which gave me the approximate time I'd spent asleep. I stretched my arms to the sides and felt the sheets slipping underneath them. I froze, glancing over to where I'd left Dimitri's duster only to notice it was missing. I sat up straight, casting a look over the edge of the bed to see if I'd pushed it off while I slept, but the floor was empty. _Well that's weird_.

I scanned the room until my eyes fell on a tray left on the floor next to the door. It had plenty of food piled up on it and a glass of orange juice. And then it hit me. _He was here, while I slept_. He took his belongings and left me no reasons to leave this room since everything I needed was delivered to me on that tray. I was almost offended. I had no idea why. If nothing, his behaviour was quite expected, especially after the stunt I'd pulled and that _kiss_.

I blushed, feeling embarrassed all over again as I remembered the shameful thing I'd done. That wasn't the only reason behind the reddening of my cheeks though. I felt heat spreading through my body as I touched my fingers to my lips and recalled how it felt to have Dimitri's pressed there. How even the metallic taste of blood that he didn't manage to scrape off couldn't ruin the taste of him for me. How unexpectedly soft his lips were, thinner than mine but warm enough to have me melting under them.

When I'd kissed him, I never thought this would be the outcome. I kissed him because I was scared, because I wanted to erase what had happened and because I couldn't think of another way to express how thankful I was that he had saved me. I didn't expect to _like it so much_. And what I certainly didn't expect was the urging desire to do it again. I shouldn't though, I couldn't, even if he wanted me to which I was sure he didn't or else he wouldn't have sneaked in and out of the room while I was asleep. It was wrong, for so many reasons. _So why did it feel so right?_ , my own mind asked me and I could do nothing but shrug. This was one of the many questions I didn't have an answer to.

I got up and walked over to the window, opening it and curling my hands around the bars. I scanned the empty yard below me and breathed out shakily. My eyes ran up the path I'd used to escape out of here only yesterday and soon I had to look away before I balled. My mind wandered back to that gas station where I'd told Dimitri that the reason behind everything I'd done was my desire to go home. I wanted to see my friends again. I missed them so much. I wanted Sydney to hug me and give me one of those boring, but good hearted lectures that I'd never appreciated enough before. I wanted Lissa to make me tea and her famous cupcakes while she wrapped me up in my favorite blanket. I even missed stupid Brayden and dorky Aaron.

 _Aaron_. The guy who introduced me to Jesse. Jesse who was a criminal. Jesse who McCall thought was behind Dimitri's and my kidnapping. _Make my acquaintance my ass_ , I thought as I remembered what Keith had said to me about his boss. He had made more than my acquaintance, that was for sure. If he was behind this, if he knew where to find us, if... _if Aaron told him_.

I was at the door in a blink of an eye, slamming my fists against it hard enough to think that maybe I'd break it. This time, the guard that was waiting outside turned out to be Eddie. The poker face he wore was so perfect I honestly thought Dimitri would admire it. He was clearly briefed by McCall since the moment his eyes set on me he was already saying: "Dimitri is out and unless this is an em—."

"I need to talk to Adrian. Now. Tell him I have information about his enemies."

 _Well if that doesn't get me his attention, I don't know what will._

* * *

 **Tadammmm! Yes folks, that was indeed the first Romitri kiss! I know, I know, you want more ASAP, but I'm pretty sure you've learned by now I'm going to take my sweet time with this story so hang in there! I hope y'all like this chapter (of course let me know your thoughts on it through reviews or PMs)!**

 **I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who followed this story (I have almost a 100 followers which is pretty huge for me) and even more those of you who keep giving me feedback because your lovely reviews make my entire week ten times better (this includes guests who I sadly can't respond to)!**

 **Alsoo, since I can see a lot of you have been wondering when I'm going to come back to the scene from the very beginning, I'd like to let y'all know we're far away from it! I have plenty of things I want to do in this story so it's going to be a long one! I just hope y'all are willing to stick around for it!**

 **Lastly, for the millionth time, thank you Megan (megamorr) for all the help you've been giving me! You're truly an angel! And yes, I'll never get tired of saying this even though you might get tired of hearing it!**

 **XOXO T!**

 **Songs: River - Bishop Briggs, Wicked Game - James Vincent McMorrow**


	18. CH18 - Friends and Betrayals

**POV: Adrian**

 _Work though the pain you sissy_ , I almost yelled at myself as my wrist clicked angily under the pressure I was putting on it. I turned the wrench again and felt drops of sweat sliding from my forehead into my hairline. _Fix your car on your own Adrian. It's a good idea Adrian_. Right now I wanted to smack myself for being so dumb, but there was no way I was backing out of it. If Dimitri could play the mechanic, so could I. I just needed to figure out where I put the—.

"Need a hand down there?", I heard Christian's voice faintly over the music I'd turned up to muffle my embarrassing moaning.

I dropped the tools I was holding and rolled the creeper back, only to find him awkwardly leaning to the side as he tried to take a peek under the car. I smiled at him and asked: "You know how to fix cars?"

"Um, no. Not really. I just thought it'd be nice to offer. I'm working on those people skills you always tell me I'm lacking."

I laughed, shaking my head as he extended his hand towards me, helping me to my feet. He scanned me up and down before he indiscreetly cleaned his palm by rubbing it against his jeans. I quirked my eyebrow at him to which he burst: "What? Dude, you are a mess."

"Didn't know you were such a germaphobe", I teased, grabbing a towel that I left hanging on the broken side mirror, "So, what brings you here since we've established it's not your desire to be a repairman?"

"Wellll", he drawled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "I wondered if I could get a couple of days off?"

I peered at him over my shoulder as I turned the music down, seeing him shift his weight from one foot to the other as his eyes fell to the floor. I turned and leaned on the car, hearing it creek a bit. I stilled, waiting to see if it would give under my weight and when it didn't, felt confident enough to relax against it.

"That's... _new_. You've never asked for a vacation", I commented as he fidgeted with the top button of his shirt nervously, "What's the occasion?"

"It's, uh, my mom's birthday. I thought it'd be nice if I went to see her. Well, not her, but you—, you know", he stammered out, his eyes still glued to the floor, "I just haven't been... I haven't visited her and my dad's grave since my grandma passed away."

I felt a chill run through me. I straightened up, suddenly having no idea what to do with my hands so I let them drop next to my legs. I felt my chest tightening as Christian finally looked up at me, probably wondering why I haven't said anything yet. His eyes looked a little glossy, but I could tell he was trying to pull off a hard expression by the furrowing of his brow and the clenching of his jaw. I knew how difficult it felt to push words like that out of your mouth. I knew because my parents were dead too.

I couldn't really decide what was worse. My mom was shot on her own freaking lawn and my father was hit with so many bullets they almost decapitated him. His parents died in a car crash. That was certainly a less gory way to go, but they led the kind of life that could have anyone saying they weren't really asking for it. Christian's parents were just regular people who were pushed off the road by some idiot, drunk driver. They didn't harm anyone, didn't do any wrong as far as I knew, yet they were wiped off the face of the earth in a blink with no one left to answer for it. It was truly... tragic.

"Take as much time as you want", I spoke up, my voice sounding more strained than I would've liked it, "I'll get somebody to fill in for you at The Academy."

"Oh, uh, thank you", he mumbled out, visibly surprised by my words.

 _Did he honestly think I was going to say no_? I wasn't a good person, but did people really think of me as such a terrible, heartless monster? He suddenly became gidy, his expression sparking up again and his lips pulling back into his usual smirk as he added: "Well, I'll leave you to your germs then, boss. I'll let you know how long I'll be away when I get the plane tickets."

"Plane tickets? I knew I was overpaying you", I joked, even though I still felt taken aback by how our previous conversation made me feel.

He chuckled and quickly left just as Eddie came in. He glanced after Christian and then looked at me like he was waiting for permission to speak. I lifted my hand to wave at him, but then winded up going for something that might seem less arrogant.

"What's up?"

"Miss Mazur wanted to talk to you. She mentioned something about your enemies."

I barely contained a jeer as I turned back towards the car and flung the towel through the empty space where the windshield used to be. If there was one thing I wasn't going to do today or ever, as far as I was concerned, was talk to Rose. She should've consider herself lucky that the only punishment she'd received for what she had done was to be locked up in a room. A perfectly nice room while we were at it. If it wasn't for the deal that Dimitri had made with her father, things would've been much worse for her.

"Tell her I'm not interested", I mumbled, cracking my neck as I prepared to dive back under the piece of junk before me, "And don't talk to her anymore. Actually, don't open the door of her room unless she spontaneously starts dying in there."

"Sir."

He scurried away and I breathed out, plopping my hands on the hood and glancing at my distorted reflection on it. _And then you wonder why people think you are a monster_? She did what anyone else would've done in her shoes - tried to save herself. She didn't do it to anger me or to get back at me for something. She did it because, even though I refused to acknowledge it up to the point I always corrected her when she said it, she was a prisoner. She was my prisoner. And I was furious at her for not wanting to be that. _Really_? As if taking the bars off her window or taking her out for a ride changed any of it.

 _She saved your life_ , my mind reminded as I stared at the very car in which it happened. I never had a chance to put my seatbelt back on. I would've flown right through the gaping hole which was still missing glass and smashed into something if she didn't stop it from happening. She had to latch onto me pretty tight to keep me in place. She had to have really wanted to do it. And how was I repaying her? By not wanting to even talk to her? By being a dick?

"Fuck", I growled, the sound echoing through the garage, before I turned on my heel and headed towards the door.

 **POV: Rose**

 _Fuck Adrian Ivashkov. Fuck this house. Fuck this sweatshirt with sleeves that are too freaking long for me all of a sudden. FUCK._ I plopped on the bed and grabbed the closest pillow, hurling it at the door. Only the door let out a small _humph_. I jerked towards the sound and saw none other than the very man I was just cursing standing there with the pillow lying idly before his feet. His pants were dirty, his shirt unbuttoned at the top with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a smudge of what looked like car oil on his face. He eyed me for a few second before he ducked down to grab the pillow, turning it in his hands as he chuckled: "What did this thing do to you?"

I had to bite my tongue in order to avoid telling him he should be asking the same question with him as the subject. He took a few steps towards the bed before tossing the pillow on it and peering at me in the way that made me realize he was waiting for me to speak. When that didn't happen, he prompted: "You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes, but I was informed you weren't in the mood to listen."

He hummed and pursed his lips, rubbing his chin absently before he said: "I guess I changed my mind."

"Why?"

"Why?", he repeated, his eyebrow quirking, "Does it matter?"

"Yes."

He sat down on the bed next to me, turning to face me. He fixed my eyes, probably trying to compel me to forget my question somehow, but it wasn't going to work. Not this time. I was getting answers and I didn't mean his attempts to spin my mind and leave me even more clueless than I was. Once he realized his charms weren't doing jack, he huffed in irritation and threw his hands up before exclaiming: "Ugh, you insufferable woman. Fine. You want to know why I changed my mind? I'll tell you. You're impossible to stay away from. There. Happy?"

"NO!", I burst, jumping to my feet, "No, I'm not happy. Impossible to stay away from? What the hell does that even mean?"

"It means—", he started loudly before a heavy sight left his lungs and he calmed down, "It means that I'm sorry for everything you've been through because of me. And I know I have no right to be angry at you. And thank you for saving my life. And... I like you."

I froze, my eyes widening which instantly had him adding: "Not like that. Okay, maybe a little like that. _What_? You're fucking gorgeous, can you really blame me? But that was not what I was trying to say. I like you, as a person. And I know it sound impossible and unreasonable, but it'd be nice if we could actually be friends. Because, like it or not, we're in this together until the end. So maybe instead of fighting and butting heads all the time we should try to—."

"Be friends", I finished, the memory of the thoughts that swam through my head just before I'd decided to run away coming back to me. _In another life he could have been my friend._ Maybe he could come close in this one too. Was I really going to agree to this? Would it be right? Normal? Sane? _Who gives a shit?_ , I argued with myself and finally decided to do what I always did - let go and see where the road takes me. Besides, it wasn't like I had many options.

"Fine. So we're friends then. That means no more bossing me around."

"No more thinking you know better than me", he shot back, crossing his arms over his chest.

"No more lying and, yes, I mean the vague excuses for answers that you tend to give me."

"No more pushing your nose where it doesn't belong then."

"I can't promise that", I protested, shaking my head vigorously.

"Okay, but when I tell you to drop it, you'll drop it."

" _That_ I can agree to. And no more lockups, I'll be free to go where I want."

"Rose—", Adrian warned, but I quickly cut in: "I won't go anywhere I can create any sort of trouble for you or put anyone in danger. I'll run it by you first and gratefully accept the protection of your men."

"Is that so?"

"And in return. No more running away."

"No more running away?"

"Yes."

"Fine. I'll accept it under one condition. If I say you can't go somewhere, you won't question it", he quietly said, but upon seeing my expression accompanied by my attempt to interrupt him rose his voice to finish, "You won't question it because I won't do it just for the heck of it, but because I actually do think that it's not safe and you'll trust my judgement, because we're friends. Also because I have more experience on the matter. Deal?"

"Deal."

We stared at one another for a moment and then Adrian stood up and stepped towards me, opening his arms and smiling at me softly while he chuckled: "Friendship deals are sealed with a hug where I come from."

I stepped towards him and pressed my face into his chest, hugging his waist tightly. He wrapped his arms around me and smoothed my hair down, plopping his chin on the top of my head. _This was actually nice_. As we stood there hugging, a thought sparked by his last words popped into my mind and I mumbled into his shirt: "Where _do_ you come from?"

"What?", he asked as I peered up at him.

"Your surname is Ivashkov. Last I checked that's not really common in the U.S."

"One of your best friend's surname is Dragomir", he exclaimed, letting go of me and stepping back, "Where does she come from?"

"Canada."

"See", he laughed before adding, "I was born here, but my family migrated from Romania. I'll tell you about our entire history one day if you're interested in it, but right now, I _was_ told you wanted to share some information with me."

"Right", I mumbled, suddenly feeling a bit nervous about sharing my earlier catharsis with him, "I, um, I think I know how Jesse knew where to find Dimitri and me. If it is Jesse who kidnapped us since I'm still a bit confused about the whole 'my ex is a part of a mafia' thing."

"Do tell."

"When I was trying to get home", I elaborated seeing Adrian cringe slightly at my words, "I attempted to contact my friends. The one I got in touch with, Aaron, he was supposed to come and pick me up from the gas station where Dimitri found me, but he never showed."

"And you think he told Zeklos?"

"They _are_ friends. Aaron was the one who introduced me to Jesse in the first place."

Adrian frowed, averting his eyes from me while he pondered on something and then asked: "This Aaron guy, what's his last name?"

"Drozdov. And before you ask, I have no idea where he's from. I think he was born in Kentucky or Kansas. I'm pretty sure it's something starting with K."

"Drozdov?", Adrian exclaimed, his head falling back while his eyes glued to the ceiling, "You've gotta be fucking kidding me."

"What? Please tell me he's not a criminal", I almost cried, because the last thing I needed was for Lissa to be dating some outlaw.

"No. I don't think so. His brother Wesley though is a different story."

"You know his brother?", I asked, a bit stunned.

"You could say that. We're practically _almost_ family", he said, making a bitter expression at his last word, "He's engaged to my cousin, Diana."

"You have—, of course you have cousins. You're not an alien", I laughed, remembering what Adrian had said when I questioned him about his aunt.

"Exactly", Adrian confirmed, giving me a small smile, "So, if this Aaron guy is involved in this then—."

"I have to warn Lissa."

"I was going to say we've got to kill him, but—."

"WHAT? No!", I stressed, shaking my head up to the point I thought it might fall off, "You can't just... _kill him_. Aaron is a dork. Chances are he doesn't even know what Jesse is involved in. Maybe he, he—."

"Accidentally betrayed you?", Adrian questioned, quirking his eyebrow.

I opened my mouth in an attempt to say something, but I was at the loss for words. What Adrian pointed out made sense. Aaron had to have known what he was doing. I was fairly certain he didn't buttdial Jesse. The only question was whether he did because he knew why Jesse was looking for me or because he was really as naive as he looked and didn't know any better.

"Do you think Jesse knew who I was the whole time we were together?", I almost whispered, feeling nauseous at the very thought.

"Nah. If he did, you wouldn't be here with me now."

"No. I would've been... _assaulted_ and left dead in a ditch somewhere."

"Assaulted?", Adrian asked, his eyes going a little wide as an evidently clueless look crossed them.

 _Dimitri didn't tell him_. I eyed Adrian carefully, pondering on whether I should fill him in on the details Dimitri clearly left out for some reason. _What was that reason_? Did he think it was irrelevant? Maybe he didn't want to bother Adrian with something that might be trivial compared to the things they'd seen and been through in this insane world of theirs. Or maybe he thought I'd feel uncomfortable or ashamed. Not that I had a reason to be ashamed over something that I didn't ask for and couldn't exactly fight against given the situation. And I did try, I tried as hard as I could to fight it.

"One of the men that, um, kidnapped us tried to—, he tried to—", I stammered out uncertainly, literally seeing all color draining from Adrian's face.

I couldn't bring myself to finish my sentence because the most furious expression I'd ever seen on Adrian morphed his features almost beyond recognition. For a few moments he was so quiet I wondered if he was even breathing. I thought Adrian making threats was something that was guaranteed to bring a chill to your bones, but that was until I saw him like this. There was something so dark and twisted in his eyes as he remained wordless and I instantly thought back to how terrifying Dimitri had looked just before he bashed Keith's scull in. I knew Adrian and Dimitri were dangerous, but I think it wasn't until those past twenty four hours that I'd begun realizing just how dangerous they really were.

"It doesn't matter though", I breathed out, feeling a strong urge to break the tension rippling through the air, "He can't hurt me anymore. Dimitri... he, um, made _very_ sure of that."

The way Adrian stiffened at my words left me wondering if Dimitri had told him anything at all. He blinked down at me, the anger disappearing only to be replaced by a blank expression. _He was picturing it,_ I thought as the blankness progressed and his eyes seemed to become a shade darker. I too shuddered at the mere thought of what we'd left behind in that house. _And now I brought it up to make things better_? _Really_? It didn't take a genius to figure out how stomach turning the whole ordeal was by the look of disgust — and maybe even fear — I was sure was on my face and Adrian... well, he was pretty perceptive.

I found myself scrambling to reset the conversation when Adrian's face slowly slipped back into a more readable expression. To my utmost surprise he actually looked _sad_. I saw it for just a second, but that was more than enough to have me thinking about what could've possibly made him feel sorry for those monsters. Finally, after the longest silence Adrian had allowed to go by in his presence, he spoke up in a low and eerily calm voice: "Zeklos is going to pay for this. I've had it out for that asshole for a long time, but this... this is fucking it. He is done."

I had no idea why my brain decided to go into defensive mode, but I almost told Adrian that it wasn't Jesse who tried to harm us. Then Keith's words rang through my head: ' _He said we could keep ourselves entertained while he gets here'_. Maybe it wasn't him who drugged me and broke Dimitri's nose, who handcuffed us in a dirty basement, who ripped my blouse and tried to have his way with me, but it all happened under his orders. He was behind it. He would've allowed it. And, in the end, he would've been the one to kill us both.

"Give me a chance and I'll be the one to make him pay", I spat out, surprising myself as much as I did Adrian.

His surprise turned into amusement quick enough and then, out of the blue, he began outright laughing: "My my, Rose, you're turning into quite a rebel. First you learn how to shoot. Then you brilliantly play the part of a pro racer, if we ignore the little mishap near the end of that joy ride. You plot an escape out of here with, and I'm sorry but I can't _not_ laugh at this, rope made of sheets, which were really expensive by the way. And finally you want to go full on vengeful on your ex. I have to say, I'm so proud I might actually tear up."

"Shut up", I shot, but couldn't stop the grin spreading over my face.

"Don't worry Little Renegade, when I get my hands on Zeklos, you'll get your turn with him. However, the final blow has to come from Dimitri and that's not up for a debate."

"Why Dimitri?"

Adrian gave me an odd look and remained silent. I waited for him to elaborate, but he just kept staring at me until I concluded: "This is one of those times when I'm supposed to drop it, isn't it?"

"Five points for Gryffindor."

"Gryffindor? Really?"

"Slytherin's mine Little Renegade. You can't have it", he chuckled, glancing towards the door which meant my time with him was up for now.

"This Little Renegade thing is going to stick, isn't it?", I questioned, earning a wink for him as he turned to leave, his laughter following him out.

 **POV: Dimitri**

I threw the bag of peas that couldn't be classified as frozen anymore onto the counter and sighed. I carefully touched my way around my nose and tried to hold back tears that the stinging brought on. I heard someone approaching the kitchen and turned just in time to see Adrian stopping at the threshold. He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest, wrinkling his nose while he eyed mine.

"I think the swelling's gone down a bit."

"Yeah and the bruising is spreading."

"How's the pain? You do know I have some kickass meds—."

"I'll live", I reassured, feeling slightly worried by Adrian's excitement when it came to the topic of self-medicating.

"Okay. Don't say I didn't offer", he shot, pushing himself away from the door and strolling up to the fridge. I realized he purposely waited until his face was hidden from me to add: "I just had a chat with Rose."

I'd be lying if I said he didn't immediately pique my interests, but I decided to wait until he stepped back with two beers in his hands before I commented: "I didn't know you two were on speaking terms again."

"Oh yeah, we're best buddies now. Don't you just love a happy ending?", he exclaimed, opening the beers and handing me one even though I didn't ask for it, "I have to admit, our conversation was quite _informative_."

"How so?", I asked, for some reason feeling a knot forming in my stomach.

"Well, for example, I found out her friend Lissa's boyfriend is Aaron Drozdov, Wesley's little brother. He's also an old time friend of Jesse Zeklos apparently and Rose thinks he's the one who told Zeklos where to find her."

"Why haven't we heard of him before then?"

"Because I'm fairly certain that poor soul has no idea what exactly he'd gotten himself into. If he was a part of his family's or Zeklos' business I would've known. Thus the conclusion he simply made a gigantic mistake by becoming Zeklos' friend."

"You really think he's that clueless?", I questioned, to which Adrian shrugged.

"I don't know. For his sake, I hope so. An eye will be kept on him until we know for sure though."

I nodded in agreement and watched Adrian casually leaning back against the counter as he took a large gulp of his beer. His eyes were set on something outside of the kitchen and to a regular observer he'd just seem like someone who got lost in his thoughts. I knew better.

"So, what else did Rose inform you of?"

"What do you think she could've informed me of?", he shot back with a question of his own, pointedly raising his eyebrow.

And that was when I figured out what that tightened knot in my gut was all about. Everything I'd kept from Adrian when he questioned me about what had happened when Rose and I were kidnapped, I kept back for a reason. With his eyes burning through mine and that expecting look on his face I found myself panicking slightly. _What did she say to him_? He didn't seem angry or disappointed and not nearly serious enough to be talking about what had happened while we were in that wretched house. _Jesus, did she tell him that I'd allowed that kiss to happen_? _How unprofessional I had behaved_?

"I don't know", I replied carefully, not letting him bait me into spilling out everything that had crossed my mind, "That's why I'm asking?"

In a flash, my previous observation about Adrian's carefree attitude became null and void. His face fell, his eyes obtaining that tired look they got every time he was about to dive into a serious conversation that we both knew he'd rather stay clear of. _She didn't tell him about the kiss_. If she did, he would've teased me and given me a slap on the wrist, leaving me to do the real reprimanding for my lack of professionalism on my own, since I clearly cared more about it than he did. No, she told him the other thing. _The worse thing_.

"Do _you_ want or should I say it?", he asked, his voice nearing a whisper.

"I can explain—", I began, but words escaped me.

His expression slowly turned into something much more terrible than I'd expected. Something that had me wishing, begging for him to just simply be pissed off or disappointed. No, he was without a doubt, dismal when he breathed out: "Why didn't you tell me? What, you don't trust me anymore?"

"No, Adrian, of course not. I just—, it wasn't worth mentioning."

"Wasn't worth mentioning? Dimitri, you forget, I know you. I know who you truly are underneath all of—", he stopped to wave his hand towards me, " _That_. You think I didn't hear you praying to God for forgiveness every night when you came to live with me. That house had much thinner walls than this one. _I know_ you drown in guilt every time you end a life. And you think this, something that you and I both know brings back your biggest demons from the past, _is not worth mentioning_?"

I felt my throat closing as I tried to find something to say, but no words came and little air made it to my lungs. Maybe he was disappointed after all. I would be. After everything he had done to pull me out of the pit I had created for myself, I went and did something that was setting back all of the effort both of us had made. _And for what_? I wouldn't dare use Rose as an excuse. Saving her was something I had no doubts about and no regrets over. But I could've stopped, I should've stopped when that bastard was dead and I... I kept going. That wasn't defending, that wasn't heroism, it was pure and utter monstrosity.

"I stopped praying", I suddenly spoke up without even thinking.

"What?", Adrian asked, confusion visible in his features.

"I stopped praying a long time ago", I elaborated, straightening up and clearing my throat, "I'm sorry for not telling you and I'm sorry for letting you down. It won't happen again."

"Letting me down? What on earth are you talking about?", he burst, roughly placing his beer on the counter before stepping towards me, "Dimitri, I didn't bring this up because I think what you did was out of line. I don't even think it was wrong. I probably would've done much worse things to that fucker if I was there. Not that I know exactly what you did because Rose didn't elaborate much, though her expression was enough to paint the picture. But you're not me. Thank that same God you for some reason don't chat with anymore for that. And because you're not me, I know that this is _worth_ mentioning."

Finally, I got to the bottom of what was really hiding in Adrian's mind. It always took me awhile, but this time he had managed to keep me in the dark longer because I was too preoccupied by my own thoughts to focus on his properly. _He was worried_. That was the reason behind the sadness in his eyes. That was the reason for the lack of anger. _He was worried about me_.

"I'm fine", I instantly blurted, which wasn't nearly as reassuring as it should've been, so I more slowly added, "I'm alright Adrian. It's done. It's over. It is what it is and I'm fine. I'm not going—, this won't make me drown. I swear."

"Are you sure God is willing to back you up on that swearing bit?"

"God has nothing to do with it. And since when are you so religious?", I pushed out, trying to take his mind off things by diverting his attention.

I wasn't entirely sure if it worked or if he just thought he should fall back to avoid pressuring me too much, but the next thing he said was: "Me. Never. Well, actually, devil worshiping can fall under religion."

"Really? Fine. Maybe I'm not on the best of terms with—."

"The big man upstairs?", Adrian cut in, a hint of a smile crossing his lips.

"The one. But I'm not getting blasphemous. I'll leave the devil part to you for now."

"You're no fun", he chuckled as I turned to leave, but soon called after me in a more sober voice, "Dimitri. You'll let me know if it gets bad?"

"I told you—."

"Just fucking tell me you will", he cried out, pressing his fingers against his temple.

"I will."

* * *

 **Hello everyone! So, some things were revealed and some became even more mysterious in this chapter! It's one hell of a dance XD As y'all can see, I've made** **Wesley and Aaron brothers, mostly because I think the whole cousin thing was getting a bit too complicated!**

 **Now, I have to address something I've been asked a lot through reviews and PM's! I will NOT update more than one chapter per week, not because I'm lazy or don't want to please y'all, but because I can't! When I started writing this story, I made sure I had a lot of completed chapters to post and keep up with a one per week schedule! Sometimes... well, actually, a lot more than sometimes, my life gets crazy busy and I hardly have time to sleep let alone write! If I posted all of the chapters I had written (which would happen fast if I updated more through the week) y'all would end up waiting for weeks or a month even (some of my stories turned into MONTHS for the same reason) for me to have time and inspiration to push out new content (especially cause I write poorly when under pressure to do it)! So, I think it'd be wise to stick to the Saturday updates and ensure equal time passes between new chapters rather than giving y'all a hectic "I'll post when I can" kind of a story!**

 **Anyhow, I hope everyone is still enjoying this story (100 followers must be a good sign *fingers crossed*)! Send your thoughts through reviews or PMs! Thanks a lot for reading! "See" you next week!**

 **XOXO T!**

 **Songs: In the End - Linkin Park, Back from the Edge - James Arthur**


	19. CH19 - Big Bang

**POV: Rose**

I was fairly certain I'd never in my entire life woken up before sunrise, willingly or not. No matter how hard I tried though, I just couldn't fall asleep again. After what seemed like eternity spent in tossing and turning I finally gave up. I lazily threw my legs over the edge of the bed, deciding to make the most of my extremely early morning by making myself decent for a change. I took a long shower, spending a considerable amount of time battling with the knots in my hair. Once I was done, I opted to let it dry naturally instead of towelling it because my curls would look better that way. Since Adrian had returned most of my stuff after we'd made our friendship packt, I used the opportunity to try out some of the makeup he had bought during his unfortunate tampon run. By the time the rays of the morning sun sprawled over my room, I actually managed to look like a human being again.

When I found myself with nothing to do my stomach announced its awakening. I wondered if there was anyone guarding my room who could let me out before I glanced at the door and saw it was cracked open. _Right, that was part of my agreement with my host_. _I could walk around freely, truly freely this time_. He even promised to get me the inside knob. I jumped to my feet giddily, strolling into the hallway with no one to stop me. I hopped towards the stairs, tempted to slide down the railing just for the fun of it, before a muffled rumble drifting towards me from the other side of the hallway stopped me in my tracks. I peered over my shoulder and focused, shortly realizing someone was moaning, and not in the fun way. It was something between a cry and a murmur.

 _Keep your perky ass out of it and_ _go about your business Rose_ , I warned myself, but my legs had a different idea. They took me away from the stairs and towards the noise that became louder the farther I went. Finally, when I found myself in front the room where it was coming from, it turned into something more than a murmur. It was a wail that sounded so painful and disturbing I didn't even think before barrelling through the door. As another cry erupted I tried to find my way in the darkness, almost tripping over my own feet. I knew this wasn't Adrian's room so there was really only one option left. _Get out of here_ , my mind screamed at me, but I still took a few steps forward as my eyes adjusted to the lack of light, fixing on Dimitri's large figure sprawled over the bed. He thrashed as his heavy breaths filled the room and a few words I couldn't make out fell from his lips. _He was having a nightmare_. _I should wake him up_.

I progressed towards his bed despite knowing that suddenly waking up someone like him was the worst idea possible. I could already picture him trying to kill me, thinking I was attacking him or something. Still the last wail he let out, in a form of a name I'd never heard before, made my heart ache for him and I found myself almost falling over him as I reached for his shoulders.

"Dimitri. Hey, wake up", I whispered, shaking him gently while I felt his body trembling underneath my hands.

I thought I'd be able to snap him out of it with almost no effort, especially since he had fully proven his capability of noticing and hearing things that made me wonder if he was a supernatural being. However, this time he didn't seem at all aware of my presence. I shook him more energetically, rising my voice while I sternly said: "Comrade, come on! Don't make me slap you."

I was beginning to think my attempts were futile when his muscles stiffened and his eyes snapped open. And then, without warning, my legs left the ground. He tossed me to the side, my back quickly glueing to the bed before I felt the full weight of Dimitri pinning me down. I reflexively reached up and thanked God I was lucky enough to catch the switch of the nightstand lamp on the first try. I turned it on just as Dimitri's hands latched around my neck.

"It's me", I squealed while his eyes fixed mine and his grip tightened.

He froze, his chest still heaving hard enough to bump into mine, and whispered: "Rose?"

I nodded, slowly moving my hands to his hoping it would make him realize I'd pass out from the lack of oxygen soon if he didn't let go. I didn't know if he got the hint or came to the conclusion himself, but his grip loosened and he sat up, blinking at me rapidly. I pushed against the backboard to straighten up and moved my damp hair away from my face as he stammered: "W-what are you d-doing here?"

"I heard you—, you were having a nightmare. I thought I should wake you up."

We stared at one another in silence for a few seconds as I became more aware of the situation I found myself in. Not that I'd thought about it before, but if I had this was certainly not the way I'd envision myself being in Dimitri's bed for the first time. But I haven't thought about it. Never, nope, no. And I was certainly _not_ thinking about how hot he looked with his disheveled hair, wearing nothing but a tight, short sleeved shirt and boxers. Definitely not, because A - he just came to from a terrible dream and B - I wasn't supposed to have such thoughts about him, like ever.

"You shouldn't have done that", he mumbled and I blushed, averting my gaze while slipping to the edge of the mattress in an attempt flee.

His hand catching mine was what stopped me and I forced myself to look at him again, even though I felt stupid for coming here in the first place. _I told you to stay out of it_ , my mind mocked and I almost growled at myself. His grip was gentle, but tight enough to keep me in place. There was a haunted look still dancing through his eyes, but his face softened up a little as he added: "I mean, you shouldn't come near me when I'm... _like this_. For—, for your own good. Adrian and I both sleep with our guns nearby. I could've—."

His voice trailed off and a frown appeared on his forehead. _He wasn't mad at me_. I felt more relief than I could quite explain as the realization hit me. _Since when did I care about what he thinks of me or feels towards me_? Oh, maybe since I fucking kissed himand started feeling all warm and fuzzy when thinking about his lips and tight muscles and wonderful cologne and—. _STOP IT_!

"I'm sorry", I whispered, having no idea what I was apologizing for exactly.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?", he asked, his eyes rushing towards my neck.

I touched my fingers to where Dimitri's hands were moments ago and shook my head. Even if he did hurt me, I didn't feel anything right now except confusion. I'd never seen Dimitri this _unguarded_. The little peeks of what was underneath his stone mask and pragmatic or emotionless behavior that I was constantly trying to catch a glimpse of, turned into a clear sight I could gaze at. There was something, for the lack of a better word, very human about him as he ran his hand through his hair and breathed out a shaky breath of relief. He was shaken up, concerned, scared, maybe even embarrassed and those were all states I could never connect to Dimitri before.

"Who is Ivan?", I found myself asking while biting my lips in anticipation.

"What?"

"You, um, said that name a few times. It's a name right? I mean you spoke a lot of mumble jumble in what I'm guessing is Russian—."

"Yes" he cut in, his voice reducing to a low, thoughtful murmur, "It's a name. A name of someone I used to know."

"Did... did something happen to him?"

"He died", he responded, his voice straining while his head fell down slightly.

 _Well, shit_. I really knew how to get myself into awkward conversations. I had no idea what to say to him. I'd never lost anyone. I thought I'd lost my father, but I never knew him so the emptiness left behind was making me more curious than sad really. Now that I was aware he was alive, I was just plain old pissed at him and I haven't even met him yet. That wasn't the case for Dimitri. I had no idea when this Ivan guy died, but it was clear the wound on Dimitri's heart was still fresh and I had just pressed on it.

"I'm sorry you lost him", I whispered, making Dimitri's eyes snap back to mine as the emotions flowing through them slowly faded away, the hard expression he usually wore settling on his face.

"It happened a long time ago", he said calmly before getting off the bed.

I followed him up, just in time too, because Mason appeared in front of the door I'd left open and asked: "Am I, uh, interrupting something? I can come back."

"No", Dimitri shot in an almost annoyed tone as Mason's curious eyes scanned over us, "What is it?"

"Mr. Ivashkov wanted a word."

"Tell him I'll be in his office in a few", Dimitri directed, moving to pick up his clothes while I just stood there, stupefied and wordless.

"He's in the living room, but I'll tell him", Mason mumbled before backing up and disappearing.

 _Please don't tell Adrian you just saw me standing next to a half naked Dimitri,_ I telepathically begged Mason before I too headed out. It seemed like Dimitri was going to ignore me, but when I reached the door he called after me. I turned and saw him standing in the middle of the room with a heap of clothes in his hands, looking slightly sheepish. His mouth opened and closed two times before finally letting out a quiet: "Thank you for... waking me."

"Sure. Yeah. No problem", I blurted before I hurried away.

 **POV: Adrian**

Mason's face was too flushed and Dimitri's behaviour suspiciously casual for me to just ignore it all. I barely resisted asking Mason if he'd caught Dimitri starting his morning with some stress relieving, but instead _subtly_ prompted: "What's got y'all so worked up?"

"Nothing", Mason blurted out while Dimitri maintained better control over his response.

"I should be asking you that. You've turned into quite the morning bird I see."

"More like a permanently exhausted peacock, but I'll roll with what you said. I've got some things to take care of at—", my voice trailed off as Rose popped up behind Dimitri, chewing on a sandwich.

As she walked in, the blush of Mason's cheeks began matching his hair which exceedingly piqued my interest. Rose slipped past Dimitri, visibly avoiding eye contact and he pulled back, leaving as much room between them as possible. Maybe it wasn't Dimitri Mason had walked in on doing something naughty. Or it was and he wasn't alone. I had to work hard to contain an explosion of questions since, as friendly as Mason was, he really didn't need to be present when I busted their asses for whatever they'd been doing when no one was looking. _Oh, Dimitri, you have no idea what you're in for buddy_.

"You mean pigeon?", Rose mumbled through her bite.

"What?"

"Permanently exhausted pigeon."

"Do I look like a pigeon to you?", I exclaimed, seeing a grin slowly spread over her face, "Clearly, if I was a bird I'd be a peacock or a phoenix."

"Phoenixes don't exist. You do know that, right?", she shot back before taking another bite of her sandwich.

"Says who?"

"Where do you have to take care of things?", Dimitri interrupted, dismissing Mason with just one glance.

I watched the redhead go before quirking an eyebrow at Dimitri and prompting: "You've really put the fear of God in everyone around here, haven't you?"

"You hired me to command your men. Are you dissatisfied with my methods?", he snapped and I leaned away, deciding to be the one to ease the tension since he was clearly jumpy for some reason.

"No need to bite my head off. I was actually complimenting your dedication to your work. And, while we're on the topic of work, we're going to the club. I need to sort out some finances."

"Can I come?", Rose almost immediately asked.

 _No_ was at the tip of my tongue before I peered over at her and saw the most adorable and hopeful expression on her face while she waited for my answer. _I did promise she could go where she wanted as long as it was safe_. Making a driveby to my club was probably as safe as it could get. Plus, it'd give me the opportunity to observe her and Dimitri's behavior more once they had nowhere to run. I was one mean little shit.

"Sure."

"Really?", she exclaimed, the excitement in her eyes almost making her look like a kid.

"Yes, really. Just hurry up and get ready before Dimitri starts making a fuss."

Dimitri glared at me and then glanced after Rose who now definitely looked like a kid as she rushed up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Dimitri's expression softened, only for a moment, after which he frowned almost like he was trying to cover it up and mumbled: "I don't make fusses."

"Righttt."

We had already settled in the car when Rose reappeared, Eddie helping her in before he went to get behind the wheel. She had two seats to pick from - one next to Dimitri and one next to me. I eliminated her choice though since I purposefully stretched to take up as much room as I could. My actions didn't go unnoticed by either of them, but nobody said anything when I challenged them with a grin.

We set off in silence: Dimitri repeatedly gliding his hands over his duster, Rose absentmindedly toying with her hair and me persistently staring at both of them. I remembered the first and last time all of us were in this car together, the day we had taken Rose. Looking at her now I could almost picture her digging her heels in the door again, trying to stop Dimitri from tossing her in. A low snicker escaped me which drew the attention of my riding companions. With an evident dose of uncertainty Rose asked: "What's funny?"

"I just realized that the second time I saw you, you gave me a nice, long look at your panties", I laughed as Rose's face turn scarlet, "Thinny things, black lace... very sexy."

"Adrian!", Rose almost squealed, covering her face with her hands.

"I gotta say, I kind of envy Dimitri here a little bit. He got to see more than just that pair", I teased, waiting to see if he'd take the bait and he oh so did.

"What are you talking about? I've never seen Rose in her underwear", he burst, finally abandoning the imaginary wrinkles on his clothes he had been battling.

"Did I say that? No. I just said you saw her underwear, not _her_ in it. You picked it up for her from her apartment, remember? But, now that _you've_ mentioned it—."

"Adrian, please, shut your mouth", Rose cried through her hands while Dimitri gave me a death stare adding: "As unbelievable as it sounds, I'm going to have to agree with Rose."

"Alright kids, whatever you want", I laughed, crossing my arms over my chest.

Maybe Dimitri knew what he had bargained for but Rose soon lost her patience, the silence bugging her more than my blabbering did. She visibly searched for something to say, her eyes darting around the car before she asked: "So, The Academy is opened during daytime too?"

"No, it's closed, which means you can go on and explore it all you want while Dimitri and I are working", I offered, her eyes sparking up at the prospect.

The moment we stopped across the street from The Academy, Rose was already scrambling to get out of the car. It was odd she was so excited, especially 'cause she had already been in my club during working hours when it was way more entertaining. However, Dimitri stopped her before she could get far. He was the first one out, always. She didn't know that, but I did. I grinned as she rolled her eyes at the back of his head impatiently and wiggled to get dig my phone out of my pocket when it pinged to announce a message. I scanned the text at the exact moment Dimitri started to push the door open. I immediately reached for him, harshly jerking him back which almost made him squash Rose who was right behind him. The message I received wasn't signed, but it didn't have to be.

 _Don't lose my daughter again!_

The warning in that one line and its timing made me realize something bad was about to happen seconds before it did. Something apocalyptically fucking disastrous.

 **POV: Sydney**

"Come on, just give up already", I mumbled, trying to stop myself from hitting my horn like every other driver in front and behind me.

We were all blocked by the idiot who was trying to park into the space too small for his car for almost ten minutes now. I leaned back into my seat and turned the radio up in an attempt to muffle the noises around me. Sadly, the song that was playing ended and the news came on. I reached towards the volume again, but then the que of cars in front of me moved and I had to grab the wheel instead.

It shouldn't have surprised me that the moment I thought I could soon get out of the terrible traffic, the streetlight ahead blinked yellow. _Really_? _Why does this always happen to me_? I sighed heavily and reluctantly turned my attention back to the news lady, hearing her say: " _Thanks to the fast response of emergency services, the fire was quickly extinguished. Local authorities advise citizens to avoid nearing the area of the popular night club until the cause of the explosion is discovered._ "

I frowned at the radio as the speakers, a man and a woman, tuned back in. Their voices were familiar and soon I realized I was listening to the talk show I found rather annoying since it mostly consisted of useless gossip about celebrities. I'd usually change the station when it came on, but this time I waited to see if there was going to be further information on the latest news. It turned out I wasn't waiting in vain since the woman started off with: " _Well, I for one am glad no one was hurt. It's lucky this happened outside the working hours because The Academy was definitely the it place._ "

" _Yeah, it had quite an explosive atmosphere_ ", the male speaker, whose terrible attempts at making jokes always got on my nerves, exclaimed after which they both laughed.

 _Seriously_? _Some place got blown up and you're laughing about it_? And then the name they'd mentioned finally seeped into my brain making me forget I was supposed to be driving. Someone behind me honked to get me moving as the woman added: " _What do you think happened? A gas leak?_ "

" _Honestly, I'm pretty sure it was some gang thing. I mean, we've all heard the rumors about the owner_."

" _Paul, you can't believe EVERY rumor you hear_ ", she giggled irritatingly, " _He was never convicted of anything_."

The owner who thought he knew me from somewhere. I felt the same way, but I couldn't quite figure out why. I didn't know a lot of people and club owners, especially ones allegedly involved in some shady business, were probably the least possible acquaintances I could've made throughout my life. Yet, there was something in those green eyes or maybe even in the way they'd watched me that sparked the feeling of familiarity within me. I tried to remember his name as I finally parked in front of my building and got out of the car. And just as I thought it'd never happen, it popped up in my mind. _Adrian_. Somebody called him—.

I froze in my tracks and almost dropped my bag when I recalled who addressed the man by his name. _Jesse_. They knew each other. I never really thought of that until now, but suddenly I felt uneasy pondering on the connection between the men, especially after Jesse's Houdini act that happened right around the time the investigation of Rose's disappearance began. He was called down to the station several times after my run in with him at The Academy, but he never showed which became even more suspicious after my accusations involving him and Aaron. I wasn't supposed to know that but Janine decided to fill Lissa and me in on it in case we saw him again.

Maybe Adrian knew where he was, though the men didn't seem at all friendly. _Maybe that was just an act_ , I thought for some reason that didn't seem clear at first. That was until I thought back to Adrian's appearances. He wasn't exactly blond, but his hair was light enough and his eyes could be described in a similar way. Jesse and he definitely didn't look alike enough to be called brothers, but maybe all young, pale men looked the same to Mr. Hamilton. And if Adrian had a criminal past as those rumors claimed—. _Shit, I know where I knew him from_.

 **1 year ago**

"You study all day long and now you're using what little free time you have to go to some stupid trial. Really?", Rose protested, rolling over my bed until her head was left hanging from it.

"You'll give yourself a headache in that position", I commented as I packed my bag, "And if I'm going to become a lawyer, I'm in for a lot more studying and practice. I've got two more years of school and I have to work in the meantime to get some experience and—."

"Blah, you're boring", she protested to which I almost responded with _I know_. I heard the bed squeaking before her arms circled be from behind and she added: "But I still love you."

"I love you too", I replied with smile she couldn't see, "Now move. I have to go or I'll be late."

I _was_ late, embarrassingly late. It was the first time I haven't arrived somewhere on time. _How could this even happen, especially with something so important_? Luckily, the security standing in front of the door of the courtroom allowed me in after a few compliments and a lot of batting of my eyelashes. I guess I had learned some valuable lessons from Rose, despite not feeling as comfortable as her to apply them. I snuck into the last row and took out my notebook.

"This is preposterous", a deep voice boomed, "The state keeps coming after my client with ludacris charges and circumstantial evidence at best."

"Circumstantial evidence?" the prosecutor exclaimed, waving his hands towards the defendant, "Two men walked into his club and never walked out."

The prosecutor, Brayden's family friend, was the person who helped get me into the room. Apparently, not many people were given access to this trial and the press was outright forbidden. I was told it had something to do with the invasion of privacy of the defendant which was, if nothing, inordinary. Also, it was the exact reason why I was so interested to sneak my first peek at him. I leaned to the side and glanced at the stand, seeing a man roughly around my age casually settled in his seat. His nonchalance made it seem like he was here to hang out with his buddies, not answer for his wrongdoings. I couldn't help but notice he was very handsome and it seemed I wasn't the only one who thought so since a few ladies in the jury ogled him to the point of embarrassment.

"Excuse me", he spoke up in a voice that sounded too sweet and innocent for a man accused to be involved in a double homicide, "But I'm afraid your facts aren't _valid_. I don't own any clubs. I have a bar and a casino. Though you've said club so many times, I'm actually tempted to open one."

A few members of the jury snickered, mostly the aforementioned ladies which only seemed to encourage the man more, making him continue with: "Be that as it may, your claims that I'm somehow involved in the disappearance and death of two men I've never even met are, as my lawyer so nicely put, pretty ludacris. Did they come to my _bar_? Maybe. How am I supposed to know? If I kept track of every single person that walked through those doors, I wouldn't have time for much else."

"We're not here for you to make speeches Mr. Ivashkov", the prosecutor burst, much to the disapproval of even the judge herself.

"Then ask me a damn question", Ivashkov replied, anger flaring up in his eyes.

"Were you or were you not present on the night these men visited your bar?"

"I was not."

"Where were you then?"

"At home", Ivashkov calmly responded, glancing at his lawyer in an odd way.

"Can anyone confirm that?"

"The two ladies that were with me and my bodyguards."

"And you were with them the whole night?"

"Your Honor, this interrogation is repetitive and pointless", the lawyer voiced, "The prosecution has already questioned Mr. Ivashkov's alibi numerous times."

"Sustained", the judge mumbled, but Ivashkov answered regardless.

"Yes, I was with them all night. I take my time _doing_ the things I enjoy."

 _Was he serious_? He was on trial and treating it like a joke. The prosecutor was clearly just as enraged as I was, but kept control over his emotions and butted in a few more questions that didn't give him much to go on. Ivashkov was either innocent or very good at pretending to be. Also, he had a spectacular lawyer who was quick to react to any touchy questions. In the end the judge announced the court would recess until tomorrow and I closed my notebook realizing I haven't written a single thing in it. _You were here to learn you idiot_ , I chestisied myself, _and instead you just stared at the defendant like a dimwit the entire time_.I got to my feet in a haste, picking my stuff up without paying attention to much when I heard someone near me speak up: "And that's why I pay you a shit-ton of money."

That should've been a good warning for the proximity of that person, but for some reason my mind chose to ignore it and I winded up moving out of the row just in time to collide with them. I dropped my jacket and notebook in order to grip onto something that would keep me upright, but a hand wrapping around my arm did the trick. I blinked up at them, but our height difference had me staring at a pair of lips I couldn't describe with any other word than _lucious_.

"Ups, sorry Miss. Are you alright?"

"Huh", I huffed, forcing my eyes to go further up only to met ravishing green ones that did the complete opposite of helping me compose myself.

"Are you alright?", he repeated and I realized it was none other than Ivashkov who I'd bumped into.

"Fine. Yes. I'm fine", I blurted, blushing and stepping back as he let go of me.

I was about to duck down to get my things, but he apparently thought of the same because he swiftly crouched and collected them for me. As he passed them over I felt an odd warmth spreading from my hand where it touched his. _Get a grip, he's most likely a criminal and you have a BOYFRIEND_. His lawyer said something to him and he nodded, glancing at me again as a charming little smile spread over his lips. And then, in a blink, he was gone.

* * *

 **Hey y'all! I'm gonna keep today's AN short, mostly cause I'm not feeling up to my usual self (tbh I'm a bit fucked up over the news about Supernatural ending next season... anyone of you a fan?), but thank you for reading and please let me know what you think! I hope I "see" y'all around next week!**

 **XOXO T!**

 **Songs: Under Attack - Kin Palo ft. Amy Stroup , Built for this time - Zayde Wolf**


	20. CH20 - Like Mother Like Daughter

**POV: Lissa**

Tacos night wasn't the same without Rose. I was so used to her being a part of it I could almost picture her sitting opposite of me, battling to take the biggest bite possible with filling dripping down her hands. Maybe that picture was so vivid because Janine took her place at the table tonight. She was way more _civil_ when it came to eating though, which made me wonder where Rose's habit of stuffing her face came from.

I barely managed to force myself into organizing all of this. Usually, I couldn't wait, but with Rose missing I really didn't feel like doing it. However, I realized we all needed a little pick me up so I decided to stop moping around and make it happen. Sadly, that didn't mean my appetite was going to make an appearance so I winded up pushing food around my plate until Aaron finished it off instead of me. _At least he was back to his usual self_.

I noticed something was weighing on him lately, but no matter how much I tried to get him to talk to me about it, he'd shut down when I brought it up. It worried me, but when his mood improved I decided to let it go, knowing he didn't like feeling pressured. He was more chatty tonight too, mostly being the one leading conversation in-between chewing. Janine politely participated in the chitchat, but Sydney seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. Finally, when Aaron went to the bathroom and Janine got up to make a call, I'd had it enough with Sydney's silence and I prompted: "What's going on in that smart head of yours?"

"Nothing", she mumbled, ripping a tiny piece of tortilla and stuffing it into her mouth.

"Yeah, right. Come on, spill."

She glanced up at me and then seemed to have made up her mind on what she wanted to say and gathered the courage to say it. She cleared her throat before asking: "Did you know Adrian Ivashkov is the owner of that club you took us to for my bachelorette party?"

I was surprised by her question, but indulge her with: "Yes. Why?"

"Why?", she exploded, a fire sparking in her amber eyes, "Oh, I don't know, maybe because he's thought to be a criminal. He went through God only knows how many trials. You think it's a coincidence we went to his club, Rose set up a date with the bartender who works there and then she disappeared into thin air? I don't think so."

"Syd, I think you're grasping at straws, _again_. A club owner kidnapping our best friend... really? It makes no sense."

"Maybe, but I know something didn't feel right when I saw him. And now his club was blown up and, I don't know Liss, I just have a bad feeling about him."

I opened my mouth to argue, but held back any words until I could calm down. I knew she was trying to fix things because that was just her thing, but she was getting too wrapped up in insane theories that were doing no one any good. The accusations she made about Aaron were still making me bitter sometimes, but I tried very hard to ignore the feeling. _I love Sydney_ , I reminded myself harshly _, no matter how crazy she gets sometimes_.

"They said his club blowing up was a result of a gas leak", I calmly repeated what I'd read in the news, "And since when do you judge people based on rumors and gossip? If he was a criminal, he'd probably be in jail."

"He has a really good lawyer."

"You know his lawyer now? And wait, when is that you _saw_ him exactly?"

She blushed and looked away, her voice becoming thinner when she mumbled: "When I went to his club again."

"You went to his club?"

"Yes. To speak to Christian, but—."

"Sydney", I burst, throwing my hands up, "Janine told you to stay away—."

"I know, I know", she cut in quickly, "And I am staying away from everyone and anything connected to Rose's case. I've learned that lesson, the hard way. This happened before that and clearly before the club was blown up. And when I was there, Adrian Ivashkov was too. And Jesse Zeklos. And they knew each other. I never told you about it, because it didn't seem all that relevant at the time and it slipped my mind. But then I remembered I was at one of Ivashkov's trials when he was accused of being involved in the _disappearance_ and death of two men and Jesse never came to the precinct and Mr. Hamilton did mention two blond guys with light eyes and—."

She stopped to catch her breath and I fought for mine. I felt like she'd sucker punched me in the stomach with the amount of information she spluttered. This was all a ridiculous coincidence. _Right_? I mean Sydney did say Rose knew her kidnappers which made Jesse and poor Aaron suspicious to the police. Aaron didn't do it though and as much as I thought Jesse was a complete asshole, I was sure he wasn't a kidnapper either. And Rose didn't even know Adrian Ivashkov.

"Syd, I think we've all reached the point where we're a bit paranoid", I slowly said, using plural so I wouldn't offend her, "Everyone looks suspicious now, but that doesn't mean—."

"What are you two girls arguing about?", Janine spoke up from the doorway so suddenly both Sydney and I almost fell from our chairs.

"Nothing", we replied in unison, which only made us look more suspicious.

Her eyebrow shot up as she crossed her arms over her chest. I felt like we were kids again, being busted for something bad we'd done. Sydney was always mute in those moments, scared of everyone's parents just as much as her own. Rose was the one to talk us out of a messy situation, whether it was her mom or any one of ours. But Rose wasn't here, so I took charge: "Sydney was expressing her concern over some rumors we've heard about one club owner."

"What club owner?", Janine asked, frowning as she head towards her seat.

"A-adrian I-ivashkov", Sydney stammered out, her words making Janine freeze.

She became completely glued to her spot, her face losing almost all color as her gaze shifted back and forth between Sydney and me. For a moment I thought she might faint. I stood up and when Janine didn't even blink, carefully touched her arm while I asked: "Ms. Hathaway, are you alright?"

A few seconds passed and then she shook out of her paralyses and retrieved her familiar hard mask, mumbling: "Fine. Never heard of him."

 _Well wasn't that the biggest lie to ever leave this woman's mouth_? I peered at Sydney over Janine's shoulder, watching her eyes narrow at Janine in suspicion that only grew once Janine announced: "Well, I have to get going. Thank you for dinner Lissa, it was lovely. I'll see you girls again soon."

She was out of my apartment before Aaron even had a chance to come back and say goodbye. Sydney and I were left speechless, staring after Janine completely baffled, until Sydney finally pushed out: "Is it just me or was that really odd?"

"No, it was definitely not just you."

 **POV: Abe**

I'd missed America. I didn't quite know why, but the pandemonium, the busy streets and the roar of life spreading intoxicatingly through the night made me feel right at home. I guess there was always a wild side to me that was drawn to it. A piece of my soul that wanted a loud and exciting existence. Or, perhaps, it was the consequence of feeling a strong solitude wherever I went and whatever I did, because I knew none of it could ever compensate what I missed to most.

My phone rang and I frowned at it, knowing not many people had this number. As for those who did, I didn't expect any of them to know of my arrival yet. It did, after all, occur mere days ago and all of those days were spent in work. I had no time to seek out old friends, but I was sure it would come to pass soon enough since I could use as much assistance as possible in this cold war I was unwilling pulled into. A war that was sure to become heated soon.

"Speak", I answered the phone, not sure how to approach my mysterious caller.

"Speak? That's the first thing you say to me after all these years. SPEAK? Oh, I'll speak alright", an angry voice burst from the other side, a voice I'd longed to hear longer than I could remember.

"Nicolina", I whispered, even though I was alone in the back of the car with no one to hear me.

"It's Janine", she sharply warned before continuing, "When were you planning to inform me you're back and our daughter is being held captive by _criminals_?"

"Well, I'm a criminal and you didn't seem to mind being held by me."

"Ibrahim, this is not—."

"The time for jokes, I know", I cut in, knowing teasing, no matter how much I enjoyed doing it to her, wasn't a smart choice this time, "I can assure you I have it under control. Rosemarie is perfectly safe for now."

"FOR NOW?", she screamed loud enough to make me cringe, "Ibrahim, we're talking about our daughter. _For now_ doesn't cut it."

"Nicolina, I swear to you, I won't let anything happen to her. Do you trust me?"

"Ibrahim—."

"Do you trust me?"

There was a slight pause over the line and then a deep sigh. When she spoke again, her voice sounded tired and defeated. I hated hearing her like that.

"Alright, but for your sake, don't make me regret it."

"I won't", I promised as the car eased to a stop which only gave me little time to mumble a quick goodbye, "I have to go Nikki. Talk soon."

The red haired man riding in the passenger's seat got out, opening the door and getting in next to me. He held up a sack in his hands, allowing me to place it over my head on my own. I was glad he did since this whole ordeal was already uncomfortable as it was. However, unlike poor Pavel, I wasn't at all frightened. He had a lot to say on my decision to go somewhere alone, especially since that somewhere was the home of the man who was certainly beyond furious at me. Still, he needed me and harming me would not only do him no good, but also make his situation even more difficult which was the last thing he needed. Adrian Ivashkov was many things, but stupid was not one of them. Also, I was fairly certain he wouldn't go through this much trouble to get me here just so he could try to kill me.

I had to admit, his welcome was surprisingly pleasant after my recent actions. Once we arrived, the car door was opened for me and I was given a moment to take a few breaths after the sack was gone. It had been a long time since I had to do something like this. The young man that was riding in the back with me, led me to the entrance of the house and let me in. As soon as I set foot inside, I ran straight into Dimitri Belikov. I was surprised to see ugly bruises underneath his eyes. Then again, in his line of work, bruises were the least of his problems and generally a frequent occurrence. His dark eyes studied me carefully and all I could think of were those same eyes that would light up from the smile his mother always gave me when she saw me. I wondered if Rosemarie took after her mother too. She certainly looked like her when she was little.

"McCall", Dimitri addressed the man that appeared behind me before motioning me to turn towards the nearest wall.

"That won't be necessary."

"I'll be the judge of that", Dimitri replied, showing me to the wall again.

 _Ah, these young men knew nothing about honor and decency_. I would never bring weapons to another man's house. It was not how we did things when I was their age or how I did things now. Still, I indulged him, letting McCall frisk me before I was showed to the room on the right. It turned out to be a dining room housing a large table with Adrian sitting at the head. There was a cigarette tucked in-between his mouth which instantly had me wanting to smoke one myself. He waited until I walked up to the chair that was already pulled out next to him and sat down before he asked: "Mr. Mazur, would you like a drink?"

"I'm never one to say no to refreshments, unless they're poisoned."

He finished off the drink he was sipping before I came in and poured us each one, taking the first gulp and lifting his eyebrow at me as if he was worldlessly trying to ask whether I was pleased. I gave him a satisfied nod and took my glass, tipping it towards him before drinking. We both let a moment of silence pass before I said: "So, to what do I owe the housecall?"

"We have business to discuss. I was under the impression you were supposed to be doing something about Victor Dashkov."

"And I am. Patience is something you'll have to learn if you're going to succeed in your intentions."

"I don't remember asking for your advice", he snapped, lighting another cigarette before the first one was out, "I asked for your assistance. And you don't seem to be assisting."

"Mr. Ivashkov, you seem to be a bit cross with me. Something on your mind?", I pressed, knowing all too well he wouldn't be able to keep his forced cool for much longer.

"Oh no, not at all", he pushed out, but lost the battle with his self-control fast, "Why would I be angry? It's not as if you did something like, I don't know, PUTTING C4 ON MY FUCKING PROPERTY."

"So that's what this is all about?"

"No. All of this is about getting rid of—."

"Victor, yes, you've said that. I'm old, boy, not deaf. But, if there's a problem between us, we should clear it out now", I pressed, wanting to see how much Ivashkov could take.

"You mean besides you not doing anything we'd agreed on? Fine, yeah, I have a problem with your recent actions. I have a problem with the fact that you blew up my club."

"You kidnapped my daughter. You don't see me making a fuss."

He looked like he wanted to try to break every bone in my body just because of how much I pissed him off by toying with him. Yet he remained glued to his seat, the only visible change on him the blazing of his eyes and crunching of his fists. _He was really a tough one_. _Good, that means he is ready to do whatever it takes_. I had to know he wasn't backing out of this. I had to know because the last thing I needed was for anything to go wrong and for Rosemarie to get caught in a pointless crossfire. It seemed like he was about to say something when a voice coming from the hallway burst: "Comrade, a girl's gotta eat."

That voice almost made me fall from my chair. It was Nicolina. _How did he_ —?

"You can't go in there right now. R—."

One of the double doors flew open and a young woman stomped in, followed by Dimitri who tried to pull her back before she could take another step. Her dark hair, the color almost exactly like mine, fell over her face, the thick curls barely allowing me to see what was underneath them, but I would know that face anywhere. She pushed her hair back and looked towards us, those same eyes I'd stare at for hours on the picture I kept hidden in my desk studying the scene before her in curiosity.

"When I said you could go where you please, I didn't have this in mind", Adrian spoke up, making her eyes snap towards him.

"Sorry to disappoint", she replied, but there was no regret in her voice whatsoever, "Next time, you might want to think of the terms of your deals more carefully before you make them."

She was just like her mother, fearless and outspoken, ready to take on anyone, even when they were more powerful than her. She was equally beautiful too and I could tell they shared the same fiery and passionate nature solely by looking at her. _She was everything I hoped for and more_. A woman I could be proud to call my daughter despite not even having met her.

"Is that so?", Adrian challenged, but didn't seem upset or angry at her, "Well, since you're already here, allow me to introduce my guest."

He turned towards me, but my gaze instantly returned to Rosemarie. Her big eyes narrowed at me and she bit her lower lip, like Nicolina always did when she was concentrating. Adrian held back the actual introductions, probably waiting for what he knew would follow. A spark of recognition, realization and then pure shock, all written clearly over her face. Dimitri was still patiently waiting behind her which was why she almost knocked him down when she took a harsh step back. His hand gripped her shoulder as she turned around and tried to leave, nudging her back towards the table while he said something under his breath, something that was meant only for her to hear. Whatever it was, it made her attempts at an escape halt. I stood up as she twirled around and looked at me again. I tried to find the right words since this was, after all, the first chance I had to speak to my daughter, but she was faster.

"So you're the guy who knocked up my mother and then vamoosed? Great!"

I heard Adrian choking on his drink and, for a moment, I wished he'd suffocate. He was doing this on purpose. He didn't plan it, but Rosemarie gave him the perfect opportunity to get back at me for his club and it was evident he was thoroughly enjoying it. Out of all the scenarios I'd envisioned, this wasn't even close to making it to the list of how I was to meet my daughter. As she watched me, I recognized familiar tells of anger and, rightfully, I couldn't blame her for it. I deserved it, because I could've done some things differently. I should've. But it was too late to change it all now.

I tried to smile while I replied: "I'm afraid it's more complicated than that."

"Yeah, I know", she exclaimed, strolling up to the table and taking a seat next to Adrian, "You're a mobster, my mom is a cop. You disappeared to protect us yada, yada, yada. Adrian told me all of that. It wouldn't have killed you to pick up a phone and call us every now and then though, would it?"

Dimitri apparently decided to stick around since he too took a seat right next to her, studying her as she leaned on the table with her arms crossed before her. I sat back down myself, taking a deep breath before I said: "No, but it could've put you in danger. I know you don't see it right now, but what I did—."

"Let me guess, you did it so I'd have a normal and safe life? So I wouldn't get killed by your enemies? Or maybe so I wouldn't get fucking _kidnapped_ by them and used against you? Cause, if you haven't noticed old man, most of that went to shit either way."

"Rose, language", Adrian warned, the grin on his face tempting me to slap him.

Maybe my daughter was a bit like me too, because the next thing she did was punch Adrian's arm and give him a death stare, exclaiming: "Fuck you. You don't think I know how much you're enjoying this? Fine, you're in charge, you've proved your point or whatever."

"I wasn't trying to prove any point, Little Renegade. You came in here on your own free will and I thought it'd be rude not to introduce you to your father."

They stared at one another and suddenly I began feeling uncomfortable. It wasn't as if I'd rather have my daughter locked up and in chains, but I was not happy to see her being so _friendly_ with Ivashkov. I expected her fury to be directed at the man who kidnapped her rather than at the one who was her blood. _You're a stranger to her_ , my mind warned, _a stranger who she blames for all of this_.

"You can go if you want", he added, waving towards the door, "I'm not stopping you."

"Rosemarie, I never planned for you to get dragged into any of this and for that I'm sorry", I said, my mouth moving on its own, "But as soon as this whole ordeal between Mr. Ivashkov and me is over, you'll be able to go back to your normal life and forget about all of us."

"Normal life? You mean the one where my mother, whose real name I didn't even know until all of _this_ happened, lied to me about my father and her past and God only knows what else? The life where my ex wants me dead and my best friend's boyfriend is apparently in on it? Yeah, I'll be thrilled to go back to the apartment I no longer have because I'm pretty sure nobody thought of paying the fucking rent", she blurted, glaring at Adrian when she mentioned her apartment, "And the job I'd be lucky to keep since, as far as my boss is concerned, I went poof. And then live like that, knowing I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of people I can trust, constantly looking over my shoulder and waiting for the next idiot who's going to figure out I'm the daughter of Ibrahim fucking Mazur. Gee, thanks, I'm sooo looking forward to all of _that_."

When she finally stopped to take in a breath both Adrian and Dimitri gaped at her, completely taken aback by her outburst. I wasn't in the slightest surprised though. It wasn't my first time witnessing something like this from someone like her. Actually, her words gave me a dizzying flashback of a similar conversation I had with Nikki more than twenty years ago. I didn't win that argument either. Not that I was giving up on this one.

"Rosemarie—."

"IT'S ROSE", she screamed, jumping to her feet so harshly she winded up knocking her chair over. She gasped, visibly trying to maintain control over her lungs before she looked away from me and towards Dimitri, her voice becoming eerily sweet when she announced: "I would like to go for a walk now. Would you please escort me?"

With a short glance in Adrian's direction, Dimitri nodded and stood up, waiting calmly as she turned her blazing, dark eyes towards me and added: "It was terrific to meet you. See you never."

And then in a blink she was gone, her curls snapping like a whip around the door before it closed behind her with a bang.

 **POV: Rose**

"Aghhhhhhh", I cried out, kicking at the ground angrily as I noticed Dimitri jogging across the yard in order to catch up to me. I stormed out of that freaking room so damn fast it was no wonder it took him a moment to get a move on. As he reached me his pace slowed to match mine. I looked up at him and mumbled: "You don't actually have to escort me. I'm not going anywhere. Believe me, I've more than learned my lesson."

"I know", he responded calmly, fixing his eyes up ahead.

We continued walking in silence, but the farther we got from the house the more I felt like I was going to boil over. The longer Dimitri stayed a picture perfect example of patient the closer I was to exploding. Finally, in my usual fashion, I simply couldn't deny my thoughts from tumbling out and exclaimed: "You must think I acted like a spoiled brat back there."

"Since when are you interested in what I think?"

I jerked my head towards him, preparing to get pissed off and mean until I saw him _smiling_. He was teasing me. It was so... _unexpected_. I hugged myself to stay warm since I didn't think to bring any additional clothes while I was running away from my father and blurted: "There's a first time for everything I guess."

He must have noticed I was trying to keep myself warm since he stopped almost immediately and took of his cardigan, offering it up to me. His actions brought on a feeling of deja vu that made my cheeks blush. The last time he gave me a piece of his clothing I winded up kissing him and though that was the furthest thing from my mind at the moment, I couldn't help this odd tingling that came over me. I was about to refuse his offer when his eyebrow shot up as if he was anticipating my reaction and I decided not to pick a fight. I nodded to him as a way of thanking him and wrapped his odd choice of clothing around my shoulders. I had no idea if Dimitri and Adrian shopped for clothes together, but this definitely looked like something Adrian would pick.

I thought he wouldn't respond to what I'd said and maybe he wasn't planning to at first, but in the end he mumbled: "I don't think you acted like a spoiled brat. I actually think your reaction was mild compared to how many would've behaved if they were in your place."

"You not being one of those many, huh?", I challenged, seeing his eyes darken.

 _Great, I said the wrong thing AGAIN_. He looked away, his eyes surging towards the sky as his jaw clenched and his lips tightened. At first I thought he was just angry for some unknown reason, but then I realized he was clearly pondering on whether he should speak his mind or not. When the battle finished, a heavy sigh escaped him and he turned his focus back to me.

"No. If I ever found myself in a room with my father again I wouldn't react the way you did. I wouldn't even bother talking to him. I'd just kill him."

My eyes went wide at his words and a shiver ran down my spine hard enough to make my whole body tremble for a second. I didn't even realize my mouth fell open until Dimitri reached over and placed his fingers under my chin, nudging it up gently. He took a step closer and I found myself staring up at him hypnotized, suddenly aware only of the proximity of his lips and the fire within his eyes. When he spoke again his voice was gruff and somehow made heavy by the words he uttered.

"My father is a special kind of monster. Trust me, yours would seem like the best person in the world if you ever got to meet Randall Ivashkov."

I should've been stunned enough to stay silent, but all I managed to registered was the name he'd mentioned which made me erupt: "Ivashkov? I'm sorry but WHAT?"

He jerked back, his expression going blank before he seemed to have realized the revelation he'd made. His gloomy and slightly menacing mood gave way to an almost teasing and cheerful smile as he commented: "Oh, right. Nobody told you Adrian and I are cousins, huh?"

"Oh, right? Really? Why the fuck didn't _you_ tell me that?"

"We forgot, I guess."

"You, ugh", I exclaimed, throwing my hands up, "How do you forget something like that? And why is your surname Belikov?"

"It's complicated", he pushed out, making me lose it.

"You know what? Men are idiots. You bitch about women being too complex, demanding and mysterious, but then every time you go and fuck something up or you want to avoid discussing or dealing with something you say _it's complicated_. Fuck that. I'm going to bed."

I turned on my heel and started walking back towards the house as he laughed. _The sheer audacity of the guy_.After a few moments I heard his feet shuffling through the grass and, when he managed to catch up, he gave me a side-glance, a smile still lingering on his smug face as he prompted: "Can I at least have my sweater back?"

"NO!"

* * *

 **Dimitri wearing a cardigan?! I know, right? XD Tbh I had a lot of fun with this chapter and I really hope y'all like it (let me know what you think, pretty please!)! Again thanks for all the support, follows and reviews! Y'all ROCK!**

 **Songs: Power - Kanye West (cause why not XD), Ugly - The Exies**

 **P.S. Has anyone else noticed we've all grown kind of distant? I swear, when I started reading and writing VA stories I felt like there was a lot more people around on FF and they engaged more! So, I had this idea to try something I've seen some writers on FF do! I'll call it a "Get to know my readers" section of my AN's! I'm giving it a shot today and I hope y'all will be willing to participate! So, from now on, in every AN I'll have a question for y'all (and my answer to that same question)! Let's see how it'll work out! *fingers crossed***

 **Q: When did you first discover FF and how?**

 **A: For me it was late 2010 if I remember correctly and it was literally an accident! I was googling some Twilight related stuff (yeah, I was into it back then) and a random FF story popped up in my search! Changed my life forever tbh! (Additional fun fact: I read what later became 50 Shades before it was taken down :))!**


	21. CH21 - Secret Cousins

**POV: Dimitri**

 _I'd just kill him_ , my own words ran through my head as I stared at the pieces of bacon sizzling in the pan. I grinded my teeth and looked up through the window, my eyes glueing to the same spot where I uttered those words last night. _Why would I tell her something like that_? She most likely already thought I was nothing but a beast after what she'd seen me do. _And then I had to go ahead and scare her away even more by speaking of such things_. I had teased her over caring about my opinion, but in reality I was the one fearing hers. I couldn't exactly figure out why though.

I dug the spatula under the bacon and flipped it, muttering _глупый_ into my chin before I heard somebody clearing their throat behind me. I was rarely caught off guard, but I was lost in my thoughts enough to not pay attention to somebody approaching me. I twirled around with the spatula still in my hand and faced Adrian who was standing a few feet away from me, grinning like an idiot. He eyed the spatula with amusement before he shot: "Easy with that thing. I've seen what you can do with kitchen utensils."

I rolled my eyes at him and turned back towards the pan before our breakfast was completely ruined. He strolled past me, getting himself some coffee and then leaned against the counter close by, his eyes irritatingly gluing to the side of my face. When his gaze became too annoying to ignore I finally mumbled: "Anything I can help you with?"

"Why were you calling yourself stupid?"

"How do you know I was referring to myself?"

"I'm pretty sure you weren't talking to the bacon", he replied, grabbing a package of eggs from the fridge.

"I never should've taught you Russian", I grumbled, hearing him let out a small chuckle.

"Never thought you'd live to regret it, huh?"

After a few moments of silence, he clearly realized I wasn't going to share my thoughts with him so he changed the topic.

"Mia is coming over", he announced, making me peer at him in confusion before realizing what his seemingly casual words meant.

Bartending was not the only _talent_ Mia possessed. Luckily, she was rather good at the other things she did in her spare time. If she wasn't, I would've been stuck with a mess of ink on the back of my neck for the rest of my life. I liked Mia which I gathered was a very rare occurrence when it came to that tenacious woman. What I liked about her the most was her straightforward approach to life. She always said what was on her mind and she never shied away from showing you exactly how she felt about you. Although _felt_ was probably a strong word that would actually imply she cared enough to form an opinion about most of the people she had met. I had to admit Rose's attitude reminded me of Mia's sometimes. Only with less disinterest. Despite my positive sentiment of Mia though, I couldn't help but loathe her visits here. That was because they always closely followed the reaping of souls one of us had sent to their final judgement. And this time, I was the one with fresh blood on my hands. I was the one getting two new marks on the back of my neck. I couldn't help but wonder how long it was before I had no more room to fit those tattoos.

"When will she arrive?", I asked, trying to stay composed because I knew Adrian was readily looking for the slightest hint of instability.

"In an hour or two."

"Alright. Let me know when she gets here. I'll probably be at the gym, unless you need me."

"It's a quiet morning", he said, taking a sip of his coffee, "So go ahead and do your thing. Oh, and bring Rose with you if you're up for it. I think she could benefit from blowing off some steam."

It was as if Rose had sensed her name being spoken because mere seconds later she stumbled into the kitchen looking extremely grumpy. She was definitely _not_ a morning person. She barked out a quick greeting and then audibly sniffed, her face lighting up in a blink. She glanced around and excitedly prompted: "Is that bacon I smell?"

"Chef Belikov, at our service", Adrian chuckled, grabbing two plates and taking off towards the dining room with Rose following him in step.

They looked kind of comical, rushing to dig into the food, which made a smile spread over my face despite the uneasiness Mia's pending arrival brought on. I quickly joined them, stifling a laugh when I noticed Rose began eating before she was fully seated. It was a miracle she looked so good with the amount of food she consumed and her lack of exercise. _She looked really good_ , my mind supplied, forcing me to glue my eyes to my plate so I'd stop my reckless train of thoughts.

"How do you feel about gyms?", Adrian asked Rose once she was halfway through her meal.

"My local gym and I have a beautiful, long distance relationship. Why?"

"Well, my gym is longing for some feminine attention. Maybe you'd like to pay it a visit unless you're determined to stay faithful to yours."

She chewed on her bottom lip as she pondered on Adrian's suggestion and then finally pushed out: "Sure, I'll end its loneliness. Any of you gentlemen joining me?"

Adrian peered up at me, waiting to see if I'd agree to his earlier request as I said: "I will."

She gave me an odd look, her lips tugging into an even odder smile before she added: "So one of the _cousins_ is game. Good to hear."

Adrian was visibly surprised by her words, but he covered it up quickly, keeping his voice playful when his eyes fixed mine and he commented: "Well, Dimitri _is_ the more athletic one. Right, _Cos_?"

I didn't indulge him with a response. The rest of our breakfast went by fast and with little chit chat. Once it was time to go, I had to wait for Rose to change since her outfit choice was made before we'd agreed to go to the gym. On our way there she complained about her lack of clothing and the weather changes that were coming at us with a surprising speed. I remained quiet, nodding along to confirm I was listening to her but finding nothing to say. I guess I was too consumed by the tension building within me and my own thoughts to focus on forming any sort of a reply.

 _Why was I this nervous_? It wasn't as if it was the first time I was getting tattooed. I should've been used to it by now. _Or maybe I'll never get used to it_. I ran my hand over the back of my neck and remembered what I thought of those marks before they began piling up there. To an outsider, they seemed like a celebration of evil, but now I knew that wasn't their meaning. Or at least I thought I knew. I hoped their purpose truly was to ground you. To remind you of the sacrifices this life required of you. _Just like the thing hanging around my neck_. I let my hand slide down to my chest, feeling the tiny bulge underneath my shirt.

Ivashkov's were big on symbols and they never did anything without a reason. _We don't take a life unless we have to_ , Adrian had said to me on the first day I came to work for him. He stayed true to it. He always tried to go for a nonviolent approach. _Strike a deal instead of digging a grave_. Maybe what bothered me this time around was how I acted when there wasn't an option of making a deal.

When we entered the gym Rose stayed by the door, taking the place in as I opened up a few windows to let it air out and dropped my duffle on the bench. I gathered this wasn't what she'd expected. I didn't either when I first saw it. It was very modern and, thanks to Adrian's obsessive buying, filled with numerous machines and training equipment. He had a pool built too, separating it from the main space by a glass wall and a set of double doors. It was what attracted her attention the most, making her gape at the tranquil water for a few moments before she turned to me with a questioning _really_ written all over her face.

"He likes swimming", I simply supplied, making her roll her eyes.

I opened my bag and picked up my hand wraps as Rose neared me, looking a bit lost. I smiled at her and cracked my head towards the two treadmills on the opposite side. Her gaze drifted towards them and she frowned upon which I chuckled: "Unless you are into weightlifting."

"So not", she mumbled before hurrying away.

I snickered into my chin as I proceeded to secure the wraps around my hands. I stretched and warmed up, glancing at Rose every once in a while to see her already panting on the treadmill. _She was really out of shape_ , I thought as I moved towards one of the punching bags. All thoughts escaped me though as soon as I transfered my focus onto the bag that hung before me. I was distantly aware of the constant humming of the track and the squeaking of Rose's sneakers on it. I noticed it stop at some point, but I wasn't aware of just how close Rose stood until she spoke up: "Hey, um, Dimitri?"

I jabbed the bag one more time before peering over my shoulder at her. She was standing close by with her hands behind her back, watching me with a dose of concentration.

"Yes?"

"Can you teach me how to punch someone?", she asked sweetly, but I could sense a little foxiness under her dangerous charm.

"Why? Am I annoying you that much?"

She blinked up at me and than burst into a full-fledged laughter. I'd never heard her laugh like that. It was very... _intoxicating_. A smile quickly spread over my face as she got a hold of herself and pushed out: "Oh my God, I think this is legit the first time you actually said something resembling a joke. I'm proud of you Comrade."

"Don't get too excited", I chuckled, trying to brush of how happy I felt to make her laugh, "I don't tend to fall out of character quite that often."

"Go figure", she tittered, rolling her eyes playfully, "No, but seriously, can you teach me?"

"I can."

She studied me briefly and then her eyebrow shot up, followed by: "Will you?"

"No."

"Oh, come on", she exclaimed all too soon because I already moved to give up my place in front of the punching bag.

"I won't teach you how to punch _someone_ because you need to learn how to throw a punch first."

I motioned her to come forward, rounding her to stand behind her. She peered over her shoulder at me, looking surprisingly excited. She reminded me of how it felt to teach my sisters the same thing I was about to teach her. I pondered on whether I was supposed to start my lesson in the same way: _Punch only if you can't run away_. However, I was certain Rose already knew that well. She had been through much more dangerous situations than my sisters had. I wrapped my fingers around her elbows and nudged her arms as I instructed: "Keep both of your arms up. That's how you'd guard your face if you were fighting an actual opponent."

She nodded, fixing her eyes on the bag as I moved closer to her, her back almost touching my chest as I did. I breathed in her scent which made me remember the few times when we were this close and caused some impermissible thoughts flood my mind. I bit the insides of my cheeks trying to concentrate on what I was supposed to be telling her.

"Step forward", I added, knowingly blocking one of her feet before she could move it, "With just one leg. Now bend your knees slightly. No, Rose, that's too much. I said slightly."

I moved in closer, crouching until my knees touched the back of hers. It was a bit of an awkward position, but it allowed me to nudge her into place. She peered up at me which brought our face mere inches from each other thanks to our height difference. Without it we'd have no room left in-between. Her voice was barely above a whisper when she asked: "So, like this then?"

"Mhm", I hummed, leaning away as much as I could to stay level headed.

 _What is wrong with you Belikov?_ , I scrutinized myself angrily, _What, you've never seen a gorgeous woman before_? But I knew damn well it wasn't just about how beautiful she looked. It was about what she was like: fiery, untamable, full of life and the kind of energy that could blow you away. About how she unnerved me and soothed me at the same time. How she lulled me in without me even noticing it until it was too late and I was caught in her web. How perfect it felt to feel her lips and her body against mine and—. _Shit, SHE IS OFF LIMITS YOU IDIOT_.

"Push off with your back foot", I burst way louder than I intended, "And rotate your shoulder when you extend your arm. Keep it straight, don't bend it."

One of her fists made contact with the bag in an almost perfect move, but the force behind it wasn't nearly as strong as it should be. Still, it was extremely good for her first punch. She stepped away from me and turned around, grinning at me happily as she exclaimed: "Was that good or what?"

There was something incredibly cute in her proud expression that instantly had me saying: "More than good. Come on, do it again."

 **POV: Adrian**

Compared to her typical style Mia looked odd today. A bit too... _normal_. It was the first thing I noticed when she arrived. Sure, she was still all leather all over, but there was something surprisingly sophisticated in her body hugging dress, little glittery clutch and pearly necklaces set tight against her neck. The fishnet stockings and the knee-high heel boots were pushing it, but even her makeup was toned down for a change. I wasn't fooled though, she was still her usual self underneath it all and it showed the minute she helped herself to my liquor cabinet.

"So, where's the big guy?", she asked, strolling around my office as I leaned against the side of my desk.

"He'll be here soon."

She nodded absently, scanning one of the paintings on my wall as she took a hefty gulp from her glass before setting it down on the first surface she could find. She twirled around and pursed her lips as she asked: "How soon?"

"As soon as I call him", I chuckled, glancing towards the phone I left on my desk, "I just wanted to properly welcome you first. I know you hate it when you feel rushed."

"I do", she confirmed, walking towards me slowly, her heels clicking against the floor, "Well, since he's not here yet, I'd like my payment first."

"Payment? Since when do you charge for—."

"Since now", she cut in, stopping right in front of me.

I smiled, letting my eyebrows wiggle before I pushed myself off the desk and moved to get my wallet, asking: "Alright, how much?"

"Oh, you thought it was going to be that easy?", she laughed, taking my previous spot while she peered at me over her shoulder, "No Sugar. You're going to have to work a bit harder to meet my demands this time around."

I was no fool and Mia knew it. Only I had to admit her not so subtle proposal left me a bit surprised. I rounded the table, playing her game just the way she wanted me to, stopping right where she did when she first approached me. I crossed my arms over my chest and eyed her as she shot me a challenging look. I smirked at her as I prompted: "What happened to that whole _this can never happen again_ speech you made the last time I offered _that_ kind of payment?"

"I changed my mind. Now will you take your goddamn pants off or what?"

"Rinaldi—."

"Ivashkov, I haven't had a proper fuck in ages. You want me to do your stupid tattoos and I want you to do _me_ , plain and simple. Don't tell me you're suddenly above meaningless sex?"

"Meaningless, huh?", I teased, plopping my hands on the table on either side of her.

"What? I'm not going to fall in love just because you have a good sized—."

"Good sized?", I cut in while quirking my eyebrow.

"Fine, extremely good sized equipment in your pants. I mean, you're cute, but you're so not my type."

"I love it when you talk dirty to me", I chuckled quietly, sneaking my fingers closer to her.

The truth was, Mia wasn't the only one who was missing some action. With everything that had been going on lately, I didn't even have time to let off some steam by myself at least. And I was _definitely_ not designed to bare abstinence for long. Us doing this would be a strict tit for tat, which was more than fine by me.

"And you can make me talk even dirtier if you get to it", she shot back, eagerly pushing my jacket off my shoulders as soon as I unbuttoned it.

I nudged her further onto the table, her legs wrapping around me as one of her hands slid up to my tie. She used her hold on me to tug me towards her which closed the remaining distance between us. Her kisses were never gentle and nothing less than hungry, but I had a sound appreciation for it. There was something deliciously messy and heated about those rough movements of her sticky and sugary, gloss coated lips.

I let my hands slip to her ass as I felt that odd hot and cold sensation of her piercing gliding along with her tongue over my lips. She ran her fingers through my hair and I couldn't help but to smile at her actions. She liked my hair tousled, she'd told me that herself. In response to my smile she bit down on my lower lip, tugging it slightly before she moved back and breathed out: "Concentrate Ivashkov."

"I am, don't worry", I chuckled while she fumbled with my belt and zipper.

I was quick to let my hands wander over her body as she tucked hers into my pants, eager to get me going as fast as possible. At some point I found myself battling to strip her fishnets off in the little space left between us until she let out an annoyed growl which was enough to confirm I should do the exact thing that crossed my mind. I dug my fingers into the holes of the material and pulled it away from her with a strong yank, the sound of it ripping mixing with her moan as she threw her head back and allowed me to conquer her neck.

We both moved hurriedly in a wild and rough frenzy, wanting to satisfy our needs as fast as possible. As soon as she adjusted a condom on me she pushed me away and hopped off the table. She twirled around and I didn't even pause before I grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her flush against my chest. I moved her forward until her thighs were pressed against the edge of my desk and nibbled on her earlobe, feeling a shiver run down her body before I whispered: "What do you want?"

"You know exactly what I fucking want", she almost growled at me trying to wiggle out of my grasp.

I let her go, only to grab her hips and bend her over knowing that, even if I wanted to prolong this, she was probably close to biting my head off for making her wait. _I'm not a porcelain doll Ivashkov_ , she had said to me the first time we hooked up. It was then that I'd learned Mia was a lot tougher than she looked. It was also the time I'd learned she wasn't satisfied until I gave her everything I had and then some. I guess all of that was enough to explain why, by the time we were done, most of the contents of my desk were scattered all around and the very thing wasn't in the middle of the room anymore, but pushed closer to the wall. As for the two of us... we winded up on the floor, the only reminders of what had happened being our heavy breaths and the scratches and bruises we'd left on each other's skin.

"Do you want the change?", she teased, grinning at me as she rolled over to her side.

"Nah, keep it. Consider it a tip", I chuckled while she slowly dragged her nails over my chest and to my lower ribs, right under my heart.

Her fingers, to my utmost surprise, brushed over my skin almost gently while she prompted: "Who did them for you before me?"

I glanced down to the dark ink under her fingers as I asked: "Why? Are they badly done?"

"No, actually they're pretty good. Maybe even too good. Like a book example."

I paused for a moment as she drew random, imaginary patterns around the X's before mumbling: "I did them myself."

"Seriously?", she exclaimed, sitting up and gaping at me.

"Cross my heart."

"Well damn. I didn't know you could do that."

"I can do a lot of things. I just don't have the time or energy to do them all. Besides, a girl's gotta have a reason to get _paid_ ", I joked, winking at her playfully.

She smiled, but there was something in her eyes that made me realize she was about to continue with a loaded question. I wasn't wrong since the next thing she mumbled was: "When did you do the first one?"

I pondered on whether I should tell her, but I saw no point in lying. It wasn't as if Mia didn't know who I was, what I had done and continue doing. I sat up and touched the first tattoo I made as I replied: "Thirteen."

"Fuck", she breathed out, her eyes going wide.

"Pretty much, yeah."

We stared at one another for a moment before my phone rang and I had to get up to search for it. It winded up under one of the book shelves and by the time I managed to pull it out I barely had a chance to answer. It was Wilket who called me and, no matter how much the man usually annoyed me, I was happy to hear from him for once. Maybe because I was keen to escape the subject Mia brought up or because he finally had some good news about my italian _partners_.

She was already dressed and picking her stuff up when I finished the call. She told me I should let Dimitri know she was ready for him and then, for some reason known only to her, she gave me a chaste kiss before heading towards the living room where her equipement was waiting. I figured neither of them really needed me so I decided to go and shower. That was until someone knocked on the door. It turned out to be Mason who was patiently waiting to hand me an envelope that had arrived for me in the meantime.

I almost had to pick my jaw up from the floor when I ripped it open and pulled out the fancy card stuck inside. _You've gotta be fucking kidding me_ , I thought as my eyes ran over the golden letters at the top. _Well, this was an invitation I never expected to receive_. Diana Ivashkov and Wesley Drozdov's engagement party... _how about HELL NO_? I moved to crunch the card, but before my fingers could fully close around it something made me halt. Maybe the thought of seeing my cousins made me want to bang my head against the wall or possibly inflict more serious injuries, but that was before I had an ace up my sleeve. That was before I made a new friend. That was before _Rose_. Rose who was a perfect distraction for... well, everyone. And also the person to whom I promised I'd get to the bottom of her friend Aaron's mysterious ties to his family's matters and that asshole Jesse Zeklos. _Why miss a good opportunity_?

 **POV: Rose**

"A party?"

"Yes."

"A PARTY?"

"Yes, Rose, a party", Adrian replied way too calmly as I gaped at him.

"Man you're giving me a headache", I muttered, but he caught onto my words, giving me a questioning look which made me elaborate more loudly, "You kidnap me and keep me locked up before you let me run around freely and be all like _you know where the door is_. Then you get super pissed when I open it and walk away and don't talk to me or look at me before, all of a sudden, we're _besties_. And now you want to make me your plus one for a family party? What's next, you ask me to marry you and then you change your mind and kill me instead?"

"Why Rose, if you wanted to marry me, all you had to do was say so", he laughed, naturally finding the only thing out of the pile of words I threw at him that he could use as grounds for teasing. I resisted the urge to facepalm myself and crossed my arms over my chest instead while I frowned at him. He seemed to get to message so he added: "I think we can both agree _this_ wasn't kidnapping essentially. It was more like... _safe keeping_."

I opened my mouth to reign hell down on him, but he quickly continued: "And you didn't use the door, you used the window, but all of that is irrelevant now. What's important is that this party is a great opportunity to—."

"Show me off to your enemies again?", I cut in angirly, making him roll his eyes.

"No, but to find out more about your dear pal Aaron and your jackass ex-boyfriend."

"I know all there's to know about Jesse", I mumbled, scrunching my nose up in disgust, "And none of it is pretty or relevant to you."

"Do you? Did you know he wanted you dead?", Adrian challenged which meant I'd lost this battle even before it had begun.

"Fine", I agreed, finding a way to change the tune, "What do you get out of it?"

"A beautiful date to a dreadful event."

"Rightttt, as if I thought your intentions were so innocent."

"Sometimes they are", he prompted as I leaned back into my chair and glanced down the table towards the closed doors of the dining room.

The annoying buzzing that'd been resonating through the house had stopped which left little time before Dimitri was back. He was probably going to be in a mood once he joined us. A pretty bad mood. When I'd asked him about the tattoos I saw on him and a couple of other guys he went all grumpy and blurted out a hasty explanation which made it clear he was not a fan of ink. Or maybe just not a fan of this particular symbols that were filling up the skin on the back of his neck. And the fact that he became super tense once we left the gym today and headed back towards the house made me convinced he was not looking forward to getting more of them.

The idea of him storming in here and ruining the picture of his lighthearted laughter coupled with the most relaxed state I'd ever seen him in, the picture that was still stuck in my head for some reason, got me to drop the argument and finish up: "Okay. I'll go to the stupid party for whatever reason you want me there. BUT you're buying me a dress Ivashkov. A fancy, expensive dress I could never afford in my life."

His face grew into a devilish grin, no doubt from realizing his victory had come much sooner than expected as he said: "Rose, I'll buy you five of them."

* * *

 **Sorry for being a little late today guys, but I haven't forgotten y'all! I hope this chapter was enjoyable and, as always, please do let me know what you think about it! Also, thanks so much for participating in the last week's question of the chapter! I enjoyed reading your answers (and also felt old af cause I've been around on FF for way longer than most of you XD)! Of course, y'all don't have to (always) answer the questions I'll be posting if you don't feel comfortable with them or something, I really don't mind, but I'm happy to get to know as many of you as possible!**

 **Today's question: Where are you guys from? As in the state you are from, I don't mean like give me your home address hahaha! I don't plan to stalk any of you XD I'm just curious to know how many different countries y'all are coming from! As for me, I'm from a tiny ass country called Serbia!**

 **"See" y'all next week! XOXO T!**

 **Songs: You Know You Like It - DJ Snake, Pony - Far**

* * *

 **Translation:**

 **глупый - stupid**


	22. CH22 - The Princess on the Bike

**POV: Rose**

Maybe Adrian wasn't going to buy me five dresses, but he was definitely going overboard with this one. I never had a dress made for me. It was pretty high-class and honestly rather extravagant. It was also annoying as hell to be forced to stand around perfectly still while somebody took measurements of almost every part of my body, but I guess it was nice to deal with _rich people problems_ for a change. Adrian, who right now disgustingly felt like my sugar daddy, delivered the shoes and underwear he'd surprisingly allowed me to order by myself online just in time for my appointment. Apparently and according to Adrian, it was important to wear all of those things in order for the dress to fit me once it was made. He clearly knew way more about all of this than me which left me wondering if I was just one of many women he treated with this kind of luxury.

"Would you like some more?", the tailor asked as I finished off my mimosa in a single, large gulp.

"Sure, thanks", I replied, happy to fill my insides with alcohol since it had been a tough time for me and I really felt like I deserved a little pick-me-up.

She filled my glass and took a few more measurements before checking if I'd changed my mind about going over the design. It was evident she was shocked by my lack of requests in... well, pretty much every aspect. However, I was confident Adrian had picked the best woman for the job and I had no intentions of meddling in her work. That clearly made her exceedingly pleased.

"We're almost done", she announced with a pleasant smile and I turned to look for the robe she'd left out for me earlier.

A short clatter against the door followed by the creak of someone sticking their head in left me little time to do anything but face the intruder. I expected to see Adrian standing there since he had a habit of barging in whenever he felt like. It was a habit I sadly couldn't bitch about much since this was, after all, his house. But, to my surprise, when I looked up I met chocolate eyes of visibly distracted Dimitri.

I was certain he was unaware of what awaited him behind the door by how frozen he became when his eyes dropped from mine to travel south. He blushed, harshly jerking his head away and mumbling: "Rose, uh, meet me downstairs when you're ready."

"Ready for what?", I asked, quickly pulling the robe on while trying to ignore the heat his brief, but surprisingly appreciative glance brought on.

"To leave", was all he said before dashing out of the room.

 _Leave?_ , I thought as I glanced at the bright morning sky. I was fairly certain we had hours before the party, especially because my dress was going to take a considerable time to make no matter how good the tailor was and how many assistants she had. However, Dimitri's sudden departure meant I was going to be left in the dark until I finished up here which urged me to get on with it. I hated waiting and what I hated even more was being clueless while forced to wait.

As soon as the tailor said I was free to go, I grabbed the first clothes I could get my hands on, not that it was hard to pick since they were the last of my clean ones. I barely managed to stop myself from rushing out while I was still half naked, but as soon as I covered the most important bits I was out of my room and tumbling down the hallway, attempting to put my socks on along the way. When I reached the main floor Dimitri was nowhere to be seen, but I wasn't left to wander for long because Adrian showed up in time to point me towards the garage.

"Have fun", he said, giving me a quick wink before strolling away.

"I—, what?", I breathed out after him, but apparently no one was in the mood to give me any actual answers.

I headed towards the garage almost reluctantly. _I could kill these two assholes_ , I complained to myself, _I used to love surprises before I met them_. The moment I walked through the garage door I barely managed to contain a "no fucking way" coming out of my mouth. Not that saying anything was necessary since Dimitri clearly knew exactly what was on my mind.

"You'll survive", he shot from his half-seated position on his bike which, despite the damage dealt to it during our kidnapping, looked as good as new.

"Comrade, there isn't a universe in which I'll willingly climb onto that thing", I objected as he extended his leather-gloved hand towards me and offered me a helmet.

"Have a little faith Rose", he chuckled, standing up and gesturing me forward.

"Faith? Yeah, I have faith. I have a lot of faith in vehicles that have more than two wheels."

"You sound like Adrian", he huffed, rolling his eyes at me.

"The man, as strange as that sounds, has a point", I argued before twirling around in an attempt to leave, "I'll go get the keys for one of the cars."

I didn't make it far since, after only two steps, Dimitri strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me back effortlessly. His firm chest vibrated from laughter against my back as he said: "Don't be a baby."

I glanced up at him, feeling an eruption of tension when our faces came within inches from each other. His smile wavered and he quickly let go off me, leaving me wondering why disappointment washed over me as soon as he stepped away. Not that I had to wonder for too long since, like it or not, I was well aware of how much I'd been wanting to kiss him again. It was wrong and there was no way I could allow myself to do it, yet fighting against it was becoming more and more difficult.

When we first met, the thought of having any physical contact with him made me want to hurl. Now, without me even noticing when that change happened, I shivered everytime we so much as brushed hands or bumped into each other. He used to disgust me. He was a criminal, a terrible man, my kidnaper. And then all of a sudden he was capable of making me drool and go all weak on my feet. There was just something about him that was driving me nuts. I felt attracted to Jesse when I first saw him and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't almost hypnotized by Adrian at the beginning. With Jesse, I spent a solid amount of time in a relationship and with Adrian, I had a drunken attempt at a make-out session which I was left to regret especially after almost getting eviscerated by Dimitri for the gun pointing part of it all. And yes, I noticed how handsome Dimitri was right from the jump. But the way he made me feel, it was like I did a one-eighty in a blink. I wanted to run from him and now I couldn't stay away from him. _When did he become so fucking magnetic_?

"I promise, you won't get hurt", Dimitri mumbled, halting the mess of thoughts in my head long enough for me to form a response.

"Fine. How do I put this thing on?", I asked, pointing at the helmet.

"Here", he offered as he stepped towards me, tucking my hair behind my ears before putting the helmet onto my head, "I'll get you a jacket. Might be a bit big on you, but it'll do the trick."

When he said _get you a jacket_ , I was thinking something in the lines of _wait here while I go storm my closet_. Instead, he took his own off and threw it over my shoulders, leaving me to slip my arms into it. His gesture led to him having nothing but his shirt to protect him from the wind that was probably unbearable when riding on this monster of a vehicle. Even though I was sure it wouldn't be even close to a good replacement, he opened the jeep that was parked close by and grabbed a sweatshirt from the backseat. _Maybe he was more resistant to the cold since he grew up in an arctic wasteland_ , I thought to myself, realizing he'd never told me much about his home and had given Russia as the only location. I knew enough about geography to be aware that was beyond unspecific.

When he put his helmet on, he mounted the bike and turned towards me. He offered me his hand and I took it, allowing him to pull me closer. He led my hand to his shoulder, placing it on top to help me levarge myself onto the bike. My estimation was correct, the bike was huge and I felt terrified with my feet so far from the ground. I didn't quite know what to do with my hands and Dimitri seemed to have realized it since he instructed: "You can hold onto the back of the seat or me. Whichever you prefer."

"I prefer not to fall off this thing", I replied, not adding the bit about _preferring_ to grope him on any given occasion. _What can I say, he has an admirable body._

"You won't. Just do what I do and you'll be more than fine."

He started the engine, the violent roar almost deafening me at first. I hoped I'd get used to the noise during the ride because it was truly intolerable. I cleared my throat and shouted: "Where are we going anyway?"

"You'll see", he replied, bending forward as he added, "Hang on."

I hardly had any time left to latch onto him, wrapping my arms around his waist so tightly I was sure I'd cut his circulation off. The bike shook underneath us before we were harshly propelled forward. An uncontrollable shriek escaped me and I instantly felt Dimitri's stomach jumping under my arms which notified me he was laughing. He should've been glad he couldn't see my face since I gave his back a death stare before digging my helmet into it and closing my eyes.

It was odd how similar Dimitri and Adrian were sometimes. On first glance, they were polar opposites. Adrian was what one might call an exibitionist, shameless and flaunting his traits like a proud peacock. Dimitri was reserved, quiet and mysterious. I wouldn't dare say Dimitri didn't have a temper, but unlike Adrian, he seemed to have more control over it. Adrian was impulsive and Dimitri seemed like a big planner. Yet, when you put all of those differences aside, there was something about them, perhaps even something in their blood that made them alike. And that similarity shone through the most in the way they were acting towards me. Sure, Dimitri was a lot meaner and sassier at first, but the more time passed the more his behaviour changed. They were both protective of me, way more than either would admit. They paid attention to the smallest of details, always managing to figure out what I was feeling or thinking. They teased me in the same way too, apparently their favorite thing to do: scaring me to death with their insane driving.

I knew we'd left the garage when the air whizzing past us turned colder, but the jacket Dimitri had given me was doing a fairly good job of protecting me from it. I didn't dare open my eyes up until Dimitri somehow sensed my reluctance and shouted: "It's beautiful outside. Take a look."

I peered through my eyelashes and slowly moved my head to the side, taking in our surroundings. He wasn't lying. It was quite beautiful. The sun was sparkling through the rich, green treetops creating asymmetrical spatters and wavy lines over the road. If I ignored the growl of the bike, the serenity of the tranquil forest around us was rather calming. There was no one in sight but the birds that would make the branches of trees bounce when they flew up and away towards the cloudless sky. The helmet I wore was very constricting and let little air in, but from the small whiffs I took I could tell how crisp it was and how it mixed with that pleasant scent that made me think of freshly cut grass.

"There's a sharp turn coming", Dimitri announced, making me stiffen my arms again, "Lean into it."

I came close to being killed two times since I'd met him, but when he flew into the turn and our knees came inches away from the pavement I was certain this third time was going to be the last and fatal one. I barely recognized my own voice when I cried out: "Dimitri!"

"Breathe", was the only thing he said before he raced forward and then brought us back up.

I let out a shaky breath as we carried on, feeling a little bit of the constant cringe my body had been in disappear. _This isn't so bad_. _Actually, it's kind of exhilarating_. I dared to move, straightening up slightly to peer over Dimitri's shoulder. I moved my hands up, flattening them against his muscular chest as I pulled myself closer to him. I felt him shiver, probably because of another wave of wind that slammed against us as the relative barrier the trees were making disappeared and we hit the highway.

The longer we rode the more at ease I felt and by the time we'd arrived to our mysterious location I was completely relaxed. I even got used to the buzzing of the engine. Dimitri helped me off the bike once we'd parked and took my helmet off. I grinned at him and admitted: "Alright, you were right. I survived."

"You don't have to yell Rose", he chuckled, mimicking my grin.

"Oh, sorry, I can't hear shit."

He snickered into his chin and shook his head, turning around as someone approached us. It was Eddie. The two of them exchanged a few words that seemed hushed or maybe my hearing was permanently impaired after the noise I'd subjected my ears to. Dimitri motioned me to follow them into the nearby building. We climbed onto the first floor, with Eddie taking the lead. He let us into an apartment that smelled oddly familiar. It took me a moment to realize why.

"Is this a hair salon?", I prompted while I breathed in the scent of hairspray.

"That and a few other things", Eddie supplied, looking somewhat proud as he glanced around. It was a strange reaction, but I didn't question him on it.

I followed his gaze and couldn't help admiring the place even though we were barely pass the threshold. I was yet to see the rest of it, but the apartment looked rather small. Its size added to its coziness, but also the fact that it was all pink, purple and white with none of the colors popping up too much. It was cute and it somehow instantly made me feel safe.

"No way", Mason's shout echoed off the walls as we walked into the main room.

"Yes way", someone chuckled in a sweet and gentle voice.

"What?", Eddie asked, moving towards the woman who was sitting with her back turned to us as Mason leaned on the styling unite next to her.

"He doesn't believe that I fixed the basin on my own."

When Mason noticed Dimitri he immediately straightened up and tried to turn his easygoing smile into a serious expression. The change was too obvious and kind of comical and it seemed like I wasn't the only one thinking that since Dimitri softly laughed: "At ease soldier."

Eddie placed his hand on the woman's shoulder and in that single gesture I could already tell who she was to him. He gave her the kind of loving look that made me want to scream _cuties_ at them while he argued: "Of course she did. She's undefeatable when she puts her mind to something."

"See", the woman shot to Mason before she stood up to great us.

Perhaps I should've substituted _woman_ with _girl_ because, once I had a clear view of her, I could tell she was very young or maybe she was simply one of those people who looked half their age. She was tallish, slim and quite beautiful. She had long, light brown hair and big, jade eyes - almost the exact same shade of green as Lissa's. Maybe the fact that she made me think of one of my best friends was the reason why I liked her even before we had a chance to actually meet. Not that Eddie held out too long on the introductions.

"Jill, this is Rose and Dimitri."

"Hi", she greeted with a shy smile, "Hope you didn't have trouble finding us."

"No trouble at all", Dimitri politely reassured her before glancing at both Mason and Eddie. His eyes then pointed in the direction of the hallway and he added: "A word."

Both men followed him which left me alone with Jill who seemed unconcerned by their sudden departure and quickly suggested: "Shall we get started?"

"Ah, honestly, I didn't even know I was coming here so I kind of—."

"Have no idea what we're supposed to be doing?", she cut in, her smile growing wider, "That's okay. You just relax and leave it all to me."

 **POV: Dimitri**

I let out an exasperated huff and frowned at the mirror. _Why won't this tie just work with me_? I tilted my head and grabbed the tie again, pulling at its ends to readjust it before attempting to maneuver it into a knot for the fifth time now. At some point I became aware of someone standing at the entrance to my room, but opted to ignore them and continue concentrating on the task at hand. When my actions still ended up with no result I became tempted to use the damn thing to strangle myself.

"You know what's funny?", Adrian spoke up as I glanced over at where he was casually leaning on the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest.

"That you actually think you're rocking that pocket watch moment there?", I sneered, fixing my eyes on the chain peeking from underneath his arms.

He rolled his eyes and tittered, pushing himself away from the door and strolling towards me. He swatted my hands away and picked up the mess I'd created, loosening the tie up before he began folding it again. His hands moved deftly which wasn't surprising judging by the fact he'd been dressing up since he was a kid. While he worked he peered up at me with a grin and said: "What's funny is that you can assemble and reassemble any weapon in the matter of seconds, but you're hopeless when it comes to tying one stupid knot."

He stepped back as I peered down and added: "There. Perfect."

"Thanks."

"Sure. Now, come on. We still need to go pick up Rose."

"Is her dress finished?"

"Why'd you ask?", Adrian prompted with the kind of a grin that notified me the rest of his comment was going to be more than inappropriate, "I'm sure you'd much rather see her naked than a dress."

Usually, comments like that would make me blush and retreat, but now I felt a desire to shoot back: "You and I don't always want the same things Adrian."

His eyes widened, his mouth falling open before he exclaimed: "Wow, I did NOT see that one coming. Nicely executed cousin. However, I don't intend to get mixed up in what you two have going on."

"We don't have anything going on."

"Righttt", he drawled, marching out of my room as I rushed to keep up.

"You do remember you're the one who had made out with her and not me?"

"A, we never got to make out cause _somebody_ cockblocked me", he pointed out as he buttoned up his jacket, "And b, I'm not saying Rose isn't eye candy 'cause I'd have to be blind in order for that to be true, but my _feelings_ towards her had changed since then."

"Feelings? I wasn't aware you knew what those are."

"Well, sometimes, I'm unfortunately reminded of them. Either way, my pull towards her was strictly physical and I'm sure she'd say the same thing about me. _The two of you_ on the other hand... I can tell there's more to it."

"You're imagining things", I snapped, though I knew it was a weak defence.

Luckily, before Adrian could continue driving me nuts, McCall showed up and told us the car was waiting. Adrian picked up the case with Rose's dress and headed outside while I stayed back to make a few arrangements with McCall. We were the only guards coming with Adrian and Rose so we had to make sure we could cover them at all times if the need for defending them arose. Adrian reassured me that, as crazy as his family was, he was certain none of them were planning to assassinate him just yet. The _just yet_ part of it was what I didn't like. Still, I had to agree there were little chances of anything bad happening, especially with Tatiana attending. Which still didn't mean I wasn't going to take precautions.

Once we arrived back at the salon, Rose was nowhere in sight, which admittedly made me panic at first. Eddie must have noticed my worry because he quickly elaborated: "She's getting dressed."

"She doesn't have her outfit yet", I pointed out, slightly dumbfounded.

"She was, um, she had to strip for some—", Eddie started, sheepishly rubbing his neck, "Okay, I honestly have no idea why, but Jill and her went in the other room and Mason and I stepped out on the balcony for a little while."

"Such gentlemans", Adrian sang, clearly not planning to follow their lead since he walked straight towards the room Eddie pointed at and let himself in after a quick knock.

"Ivashkov, get out", I heard Rose shouting at him which made both Mason and Eddie snicker.

"I'm not looking Little Renegade. Just here to drop off your dress and stuff", he replied after which he quickly reappeared with a slipper flying after him and right past his head.

I rolled my eyes at both Rose and him, even though she couldn't see me. _They really acted like children sometimes_. Adrian gave me a wordless _what?_ , bending down to pick up the slipper and handing it to Jill as she showed up. Since Mason and Eddie were free for the rest of the night, Mason soon took off and Eddie began making plans with Jill. I caught a few lines they exchanged, finally realizing she was most likely the girlfriend Mason had mention during his job interview. I wondered if she knew about what her boyfriend did for a living. It would've been smart of Eddie not to give her too many details since, even though we didn't exactly make people sign confidentiality agreements, we did take measures when confidentiality was breached.

As we waited for Rose to finish getting ready I busied myself by scrolling through the news on my phone. She was taking her sweet time which left me regretting the fact I didn't bring one of my novels with me. I hadn't had a lot of chances to read them since... well, since I began working for Adrian. I was usually so tired by the time I went to bed, I'd just doze off in front of the TV instead. I think this was the longest I'd been fully awake and with nothing to do in a while. Finally, what drew my attention away from the article on the increase of illegal weapon trade was Adrian's loud whistle followed by an even louder exclamation: "Goddamn Rose, who knew you could be such a femme fatale."

"I did", Rose chuckled as I looked up from my phone and nearly dropped it.

Just one glance at Rose was enough to stop any man's heart on a given day. She was an unearthly sight, beautiful even without all the makeup and fancy clothes. However, the woman that stood before me now was something I couldn't come up with in my wildest dreams. Her dark hair was pulled up and twisted towards the back of her head with only a few escaped curls remaining free. I wasn't close to being an expert on makeup, but I still noticed how her eyes managed to look ten times more magnetizing with her eyelashes darkened. And her lips. Those lips I had only felt once but now wanted nothing more than to feel again were impossible not to look at when coated with such an alluring plum color.

I hadn't seen the outcome of the tailor's work since Adrian had it packed and ready to go as soon as it was finished and I found myself regretting it now. Perhaps it would have prepared me at least a little bit before I got to see Rose wearing it. I didn't think I could ever appreciate one single piece of clothing this much. The dress had long sleeves made of lace with a pattern that seemed almost like it was tattooed on Rose's arms. Her shoulders were barely covered and her neck and collarbone were completely exposed. The rest of the dress was made of some other sort of black fabric that seemed slick and hugged her body so perfectly that her rich curves stood out in a way to almost make me weak on my feet. Even if I ignored how tightly the material lay over her breasts, which was a hard task to accomplish, the way it melted into her thin waist and then slid over her wide hips was enough to make my entire body heat up. What made my heart beat even faster though were the shameless thoughts that flooded my mind when I allowed my eyes to linger on the uncovered parts underneath her knees. I was certain her skin would feel like silk and visualized proving my assumptions by running my hands all the way up her glorious legs.

Adrian and Rose exchanged a few words I was too stunned to recognize as her heels clicked on the floor and she twirled to show off the rest of the dress. If the front of it made my heart leap than I wondered how the back didn't just flat out give me a heart attack. All of the skin from her neck to the bottom edge of her shoulder blades was exposed. Bellow it, a zipper that held the dress together stretched down to the middle of her thighs where, unlike the front, the dress ended. I didn't know if it was this dress or my lack of attention, but this was the first time I'd noticed the flawless arch of her back and the way it accentuated her as—.

"Are you still breathing cousin?", Adrian asked, cutting off my last thought before it could lead me to stray towards more inappropriate ideas.

"Huh?", I pushed out, ungluing my eyes from Rose just in time to avoid her catching me in the act of ogling her in a way that surely seemed like I'd never seen a woman before in my entire life.

Adrian thankfully didn't repeat himself and I was relieved to notice Rose giving him a frowny look which indicated she hadn't heard his question. He did, however, give me the most devilish grin he could come up with and mumbled: "Yeah, you were right. I _must_ be imagining things."

"You look amazing Rose", Jill almost squealed and Eddie, who seemed way less affected by Rose's looks than I expected, nodded to confirm it.

 _Of course he was less affected_ , my mind supplied, _he's clearly in love with the woman next to him and also, unlike you, he's capable of not behaving like a hormonal teenager_. I took a few quick breaths to steady myself as Adrian announced we were leaving. Before we could though, Rose walked up to me and held her fisted hand out. At first I was baffled by her actions, especially because there was this serious and expecting look on her face as she did it. I moved my own hand underneath hers, watching her fingers slowly uncurl to drop something into my open palm. It was cold and small. It was her necklace.

"I don't think it's elegant enough for this get-up. Can you keep it safe for me?"

Rose might have been revolted by the discovery of her parent's past and she seemed more than keen on ignoring the very existence of her father, yet I was aware of how much importance she gave to this piece of jewelry and how it was still an inseparable part of her. Giving it to someone... _to me_ , it was a significant show of trust. Something I was honored and honestly moved by. I held onto her necklace as I slowly nodded. _I'll keep it safe Rose_ , I tried wordlessly telling her through our brief eye contact, _I'll keep YOU safe too. No matter what_.

* * *

 **Hey everyone! I was gonna play it cool but... WOWWWWW 200 reviews! Y'all rock! I'm floored by the response to this story! Seriously, I'm blown away! Also, I'm so trilled over my choice of the last week's question cause it was so cool to find out my readers come from all over the world! I'm gonna go do a happy dance after I finish writing this AN, but first things first! A new VA character joining the party... what did you think of Jill showing up? The bike ride? And Dimitri's reaction to Rose in the dress (no matter how expected it was)? Let me know in the reviews or PMs!**

 **Question time: I have two reasons for asking this one! First, curiosity as always. Second, we're reaching some steamy scenes so I guess it'd be good to know whether I need to post additional warnings for them! SO, how old are you? I'm (as you can tell from my profile page and my pen name) 24!**

 **XOXO T!**

 **Songs: Mr. Sandman - SYML, Tear You Apart - She Wants Revenge**


	23. CH23 - Dressed to Impress

**POV: Rose**

I couldn't decide if I was disgusted or amazed by the opulence and tackiness I was faced with when we arrived at the estate of Adrian's cousins. One thing was certain, everything about this place screamed _we have more money than we could ever possibly need_ _and we aren't afraid to show it_. Some could say they were putting Adrian's house to shame, but personally, I liked his better. Somewhere along the way I started feeling like I belonged there, like Adrian's home had somehow turned into mine. Maybe it was because of how long I'd been living in it or something else entirely, but when I was kicking my shoes off and going to bed I found myself thinking of it as my bed in my room.

"Elena is a little kookoo though", Adrian added as I turned to look at him.

"Who's Elena again?"

"My grandmother."

"Right, sorry."

"That's okay", he chuckled, running his index finger over the rim of his glass, "None of them matter anyway. Not to me at least."

I didn't know why, but for a moment I thought I caught a glimpse of sadness in Adrian's eyes. Even if it was there though, it disappeared in a blink and was replaced by indifference all over again. As Adrian knocked back the rest of his drink I'd decided that his family situation, no matter how much he wanted to brush it off, stung him. He clearly wished things were different. And I felt sorry for him. Not that my situation was any better, but at least I had a different kind of family, the one I chose. My friends, Syd and Liss, they were my family. _Who did he have_? I peered at Dimitri who's eyes were fixed on the window and wondered if he could count. The two of them were close, but I didn't know if calling them family felt quite right.

"Except for Tati, of course", Adrian added, placing his glass down as the car eased to a stop, "And little Daniel is okay, I guess."

"I'm never going to remember all those names", I chuckled, attempting to lift his spirits, knowing I'd succeeded when he grinned at me and shook his head.

The door opened and, since I was sitting the closest to it, I knew I'd have to be the first one out. A hand extended towards me and I took it, grateful to have help wiggling out of my seat since my dress was tight as hell. I looked up and met McCall's warm smile. I'd almost forgotten he was coming with us since he was riding up front and was already in the car by the time we left Jill's salon.

"Why Kit, you really know how to dress to impress", I complimented, scanning his black tux.

"Thank you Rose", he replied, his smile growing wider, "But I'm sure we'll all be unnoticable next to a beauty such as yourself."

"Wow, you're really bringing your A game tonight Casanova", Adrian teased as he joined us outside with Dimitri following him close by.

"Somebody has to", I snickered, giving him a playful wink.

McCall and Dimitri headed towards the entrance, but before I could follow them Adrian held me back. I cocked my eyebrow at him before he stuck his hand into his pocket and dug out something shiny from it. I quickly realized it was a pair of beautiful earrings. He reached to move one of the strands left hanging from my bun and asked: "May I?"

"You better not tell me you bought those for me", I exclaimed, but moved to give him access to my ears.

"Why?", he questioned through a grin.

"Cause you surely don't bother buying bijouterie. I know those diamonds are real."

"So?"

"So they cost a freaking fortune", I argued as Adrian stepped back.

"Need I remind you that I happen to _have_ a freaking fortune. Besides, it's worth it. They look great on you. And, I didn't buy them. Dimitri did."

"Dimitri?"

"Yep! I know, right, who would've thought he had such great taste?"

I was suspicious of Adrian's claims, but before I could call him out on them he took my hand and secured it around his arm, tugging me forward. The entrance was left wide open, welcoming the guests to come in and join the party that was already pretty lively, if something this posh could actually be called lively. Come to think of it, I wasn't even certain I'd even call it a party. It was more like a fancy reception which I gathered was kind of the point since it was an engagement celebration. There were waiters parading with trays filled with champagne glasses and delicate snacks, an orchestra playing classical music, fake laughs and chitchat on politics - yep, this was going to be one long and boring night. _Or not_ , my mind supplied since as soon as we entered the main room everyone who set their eyes on us went silent before turning to murmur something to the people they were standing next to. I totally felt like I was in high school again.

Adrian tensed making me automatically squeeze his arm tighter as this odd urge to protect him came over me. He peered at me with a small smile and mumbled: "Don't worry Little Renegade, I got this."

"Adrian", a voice that sounded like a foghorn boomed, making me twitch towards its source, "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about us, son."

If I hadn't know Adrian's father was dead, perhaps I would've actually thought he was this man's son. They resembled one another in many ways, especially if you ignored the wrinkles on the man's face, his grey hair and the fact that his eyes were darker and muddy compared to Adrian's crystal ones. There was something else about him that felt off though, I just couldn't put my finger on it quite yet.

"I couldn't do that even if I wanted to, _cousin_ ", Adrian replied, his voice dripping with irritation and disdain.

"Ha", was the man's only response as we stopped before us. _It's his smile_ , I realized, _his smile is nothing like Adrian's_. Adrian could light up the entire room with a simple tug of his lips and charm you before you could even blink whereas his cousin smiled in a way that made his whole face seem twisted. It made him repulsive even more than his fake interest as he asked: "Who's your lovely date?"

"Dates", Adrian corrected with a smirk, nodding towards Dimitri and McCall before his cousin could continue pretending like they weren't there, "Kit you already know, Dimitri you haven't had the pleasure of meeting."

"Ah, yes, Ion had mentioned him", he mumbled with a quick nod and no eye contact, "Randall's son."

The muscles in Dimitri's shoulder moved, making his jacket strain over them. _Man, this dude was unpleasant_. Although I had a feeling Dimitri wasn't upset by the lack of acknowledgement of his presence, but the mention of his father who he'd told me he'd gladly murder if he had a chance.

"And this beautiful woman to my right is Miss Rose Hathaway", Adrian finished, making me almost sigh in relief when he used the surname I'd demanded he use before coming here rather than that of my father. Maybe I wasn't pissed enough at my father to want to kill him quite yet, but I could definitely understand Dimitri's lack of desire to be associated with his parent.

"Welcome, Miss Hathway", the man said before he finally gave us his name which I realized Adrian mentioned in his briefing about his family members, "I'm Ignat."

"Pleased to meet you", I pushed out, noticing something rushing at Adrian and me out of the corner of my eye. _Not something, someone_.

"Adriannn", a singsong voice erupted loudly from the boy who flung himself at Adrian. Adrian had to let go of me in order for us both to stay on our feet. His smile actually turned genuine as he bent slightly to give the boy a hug. _That must be Daniel_ , I concluded as the two of them exchanged a few words and the boy beamingly smiled up at us. I wasn't really all that good at determining people's age, but I guessed he was around ten which made him very young for a child of someone as old as Ignat.

Adrian proceeded to lead a painfully long and forced conversation with his older cousin, if Ignat shooting a series of questions Adrian avoided giving answers to could be classified as a conversation. Daniel attempted to attract their attention a few times, but his father ignored him even when Adrian indulged him. At some point, when I began feeling foolish just standing around with nothing to say or do, I turned to look at McCall and Dimitri hoping one of them might interrupt. McCall almost looked like he had fallen asleep with his eyes open and Dimitri had turned into a statue. To someone who never met him, he'd probably look like he was zoning out, but I knew he was soaking up every word in case something important popped up.

Just as Adrian began to wrap this never-ending pestering up, the crowd around us received more additions. I barely suppressed an eyeroll. If we were going to be standing around greeting obnoxious people all night long, I was going to need a drink. Actually, lots of drinks. My annoyance quickly turned into utter surprise though as I glanced at the man and woman who joined us. I had to bite my tongue to stop if from moving and forming a single name that crossed my mind in an instant - _Aaron_. It wasn't my friend that stood there though, but a person who looked like a slightly older version of him.

" _Wesley_ , Diana, congratulations on your engagement!", Adrian immediately spoke up, giving me a sneaky side glance as he mentioned the man's name.

"Thank you", Diana replied, throwing her blond hair over her shoulder, "I'm glad you could join us. And thank you for the gift, it arrived this morning."

"Of course", Adrian responded with nonchalance as I used the opportunity to scan the soon to be bride and groom.

The more I looked at Wesley the more I felt like screaming. He even had that same stupefied expression as Aaron did when he'd tune out. And the way Diana would nudge him to let him know he was supposed to speak reminded me of how Lissa and Aaron sometimes functioned. Only Aaron seemed like a geek who was always stuck thinking about some complicated mathematical task and Wesley just look... well, sort of dumb. His fiance though, seemed to be anything but. And she had the looks to go with the brain. She was absolutely gorgeous and stood out the most in her family with her dark blond hair and blue eyes. She was very slim and had at least half a foot on me. Her dress looked like it was made of gold, hugging her thin frame and falling down to the floor.

"I think we've bored your date", Ignat said, making me snap out of my analyses.

"Not at all", I blurted out, but Adrian was happy to use the opportunity to make an escape.

"Yes, well, she didn't even have a chance to get a proper drink. Excuse us."

He steered me away so fast I thought I'd trip over my own feet. Dimitri and McCall followed us in step as we made our way through the crowd. I noticed then there was a glorious, long bar on the opposite end of the room towards where Adrian was undoubtedly heading. As soon as we reached it, he focused on catching the bartender's attention while I glanced around.

I let my eyes scan over the people that stood nearby, noticing most of them were much older than me. My eyes stopped when a pair of green ones met them. If Adrian wasn't standing right next to me, I probably would've thought he was the person watching me from across the room. Only I realized these eyes were much darker than his, so dark a green they could be mistaken for black. Their owner was a mesmerizingly handsome young man. His dark brown hair was cut shorter than Adrian's, but longer than Dimitri's. He had one of those razor sharp jaws, but his full lips and those big eyes soften his features creating a perfect balance. As I watched him his lips tugged into a small, mysterious smile and he rose his glass towards me, taking me by surprise.

I blushed and looked away before McCall spoke up in a low voice only I could hear: "You better be careful. Ion's looks are deceiving. He's deadlier than you think."

 _Just like Adrian_ , I thought as he finally got his drink and turned his attention towards me. Even though I wasn't looking at Ion anymore, McCall was and Adrian swiftly followed his gaze. Aside from Adrian informing me of his dislike for his family, I had a chance to see it for myself tonight. However, the looks he gave Ignat and Diana were nothing compared to the one he gave to Ion. It was hate. Pure and absolute hate. And the man met him with the same feeling burning in his dark eyes.

I noticed a slight shift in Dimitri's posture as Adrian and Ion entered a staring contest. It was as if Dimitri was magnetically pulled towards Adrian and the more he leaned forward, the more certain I became he had a magical way of sedating him. At first Adrian looked like he was about to pull out his gun and shoot his cousin straight in the head and then gradually he seemed less worked up until he just turned away and the tension disappeared.

I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding and then slowly pushed out: "So Aaron's not here. What does that mean?"

"It could mean a few things", Adrian mumbled, grabbing a glass of champagne as a waiter passed us and handing it to me, "But it most likely means you were right. Almost all of his family members are present and he is not. So he probably doesn't know the kind of business Drozdov's are into. Still, that doesn't prove his innocence."

"So, basically, what you're saying is that we wasted our time coming here?"

"Not at all", Adrian replied with a quick quirk of his eyebrow, circling me to get closer to the ashtray on the bar behind me, "There's still more information to acquire."

"Why do I get the feeling that information doesn't help _me_ in any way?", I mumbled, turning around to face him.

"We're on the same side Little Renegade. What benefits one of us—."

"Rightttt", I drawled, rolling my eyes before changing the topic, "You wanted to introduce me to someone?"

"Yeah, Tati. But she's not here yet", Adrian said as he turned to scan the crowd, "Which is... _odd_. She's rarely late."

"Maybe she changed her mind about coming."

"I wouldn't blame her if she did", Adrian laughed humorlessly, rolling his eyes as he buried his nose into his glass.

I took a sip of my champagne and leaned back, feeling warm all of a sudden. It took me a moment to realize that warmth danced over my back every time I moved which was why I glanced over my shoulder to see if I was standing next to something that could be radiating it. _Always him, huh_?, my mind teased as I realized Dimitri was only inches away from me, staring down at me in a way that made me feel like I was on fire.

"While we wait for Tati", Adrian continued, making me turn back towards him, "Would the lady like to dance?"

"No, not really."

His eyebrow shot up as he placed his glass down and straightened up. He extended his hand towards me, making it clear he wasn't going to take _no_ for an answer. But I wasn't to go down without a fight either. I waved at the people mingling around, still entertaining themselves by pointless chatter and argued: "Adrian, nobody is dancing!"

"They will. Someone's got to break the ice, right?"

"I thought you were going to smoke", I prompted, pointing at the ashtray in a weak attempt to distract him.

"Later. Come on Rose. What else are you going to do to pass the time?

 _Stand around thinking about Dimitri's body temperature_ , almost flew out of my mouth which was why Adrian won despite my desire to defeat him. I reluctantly took his hand, allowing him to pull me towards the center of the room. I had no idea what kind of magic he was working, but as soon as he twirled me around and struck a perfect pose, the music changed. Adrian was a hell of a good dancer so being lead by him helped me avoid looking like an idiot. The more songs passed, the more insync we were, until I started feeling like we were professional dancers, brought to spark up the event.

Adrian was right, after a while we weren't the only pair on the dancefloor. Actually, it got pretty crowded. I didn't pay much attention to others though, since Adrian went into one of his ridiculous rants about his life's adventures. Time flew by so I felt like I was waking up from some sort of a dream when Adrian looked over my shoulder, concentrating on something hard enough to catch my attention. When his eyes returned to mine, an odd smile spread over his lips. I was about to ask him what he was thinking about when I felt someone approaching us. Adrian stopped moving which forced me to still as well. Before I could turn around, I caught a whiff of a rather familiar aftershave and heard that heavily accented voice asking: "May I have the next dance?"

 **POV: Dimitri**

 _You might need to know how to dance one day Dimka_ , Karolina's voice echoed through my head as I spun Rose around the dancefloor. I maintained the perfect distance between us, just like I was taught, but that didn't stop me from being painfully aware of every spot where our bodies touched. Unlike Adrian, who clearly didn't have a voice reminding him to keep the hand he rested on Rose's back earlier further up, I didn't dare let it slide to an even remotely improper place. Rose was unusually quiet, especially after how much she was smiling and laughing while she was dancing with Adrian. Actually, she looked almost carefree then and now she seemed uncomfortable. It took her almost an entire song to speak and she only did it when I gave her no other choice.

"Are you enjoying the party?"

"It's okay, I guess", she mumbled as I was forced to pull her a little closer to avoid stumbling into the path of the couple dancing next to us, "Though I'm sticking out like a sore thumb."

"What—", I started as I spun her around, "Makes you think that?"

"Look at any other woman here and tell me you can't notice the difference between her and me."

"I can. Most of them look cheap and average compared to you", I blurted out without much thought as to how my comment would actually sound.

Rose's hand wiggled in mine as she blushed and looked away. _Stupid_ , I taunted myself while I searched for something to say, hoping I could break the tension I'd created by my carelessness. Luckily, Rose was fast to switch the topic, letting me guide her into another turn as she gently shook her head, making the diamonds glittering behind her locks shake.

"So, I heard you picked these earing for me. I guess I should thank you."

"No need", I replied, trying to sound polite though my voice came out more strained than I expected or wanted, "It's my fault you don't have any jewelry."

"You mean 'cause you didn't take any when you broke into my apartment?", she prompted, a faint smile spreading over her lips, "Don't worry Comrade. I never had something like these to begin with. I couldn't afford them and I never had such generous _friends_ before."

"Why do you say it like that?", I asked before I could stop my mouth from moving, making her frown at me, " _Friends_."

"Well, I'm not really sure if Adrian and you really belong in that category."

"Because we kidnapped you", I concluded, but a little spark of something unfamiliar crossing her eyes made me feel like there was more to it. Her words confirmed it as well.

"Among other things."

"Things like the shooting range?", I mumbled, seeing her lips part in surprise while one of her feet missed the beat which almost made me step on her.

"You mean that part where you wanted to shoot me and screamed at me? Sure that could be the reason to reconsider calling you my friend."

"I wasn't talking about me", I blurted as the song wrapped and another started.

"Of course you weren't", she scoffed, rolling her eyes at the ceiling, "But let me burst your bubble Comrade, the thing you were talking about is pointless. What happened... actually, what _almost_ happened, was a momentary lapse in judgement influenced by alcohol and the overall fucked up situation I'm in."

"So you were distracting yourself from reality?"

"That's an intense way of saying it", she laughed humorlessly as her eyes glued back to mine again, "But, essentially, yes. I guess you can call it that."

"So why wouldn't you call Adrian your friend then?"

She seemed to ponder on her answer a little bit before her lips pursed and she mumbled: "Well, maybe I would call _him_ a friend, sort of."

"But not me?"

"You sound offended", she pointed out and wasn't wrong, even though I myself didn't know why I felt that way.

"Just confused. We kidnapped you together, we both treated you badly at some point and we both served as a distraction."

"What makes you think _you_ , as you so terribly keep putting it, served as a distraction?", she questioned, her tone becoming somewhat serious as her eyes began blazing.

"The most life threatening situation you were in so far was the one when _we_ were kidnapped. When we escaped, that cliffside—."

I was forced to a stop before I could finish my sentence. Rose's hold on my hand tightened and her back went rigid under my palm as she glued to her spot and stared up at me almost furiously. She rightfully accused me of being offended, but she now looked even pass that. It seemed like she was on the verge of exploding before she almost whispered: "Is that why you think I kissed you?"

 _I don't know why you kissed me_ , I almost screamed at her, _I've been trying to figure it out since it happened_. I didn't scream though, I just stared at her, trying to rip the answer out of her unmoving lips while she seemed to be trying to do the same with me. When she realized I wouldn't respond her face fell, all of her earlier fire blowing out until there was nothing but smoke left. Maybe that could explain why her eyes seemed watery all of a sudden. She wiggled out of my hold and glued her gaze to the floor, mumbling: "Excuse me."

She disappeared through the crowd so fast I hardly had a chance to blink. I was momentarily stunned by her reaction enough to stand frozen in place for a few seconds before my body moved forward on its own. I had to follow her, not just because I needed to make sure she'd stay safe, but also because I didn't want her wandering around this place especially since she was clearly upset. These people were vultures, ready to feed on someone's weakness the minute they saw a good opportunity.

As I caught a glimpse of her dark hair disappearing through the balcony door I changed course and looked back over my shoulder. I met McCall's eyes and signaled him where I was going, seeing him quickly nod. I noticed Adrian wasn't by his side anymore, but the ease McCall was visibly in assured me I had no reason to worry about it for now.

I crossed the distance to the balcony in a few quick strides, bumping into a few people along the way before I burst through the door. It closed behind me as I glanced to the opposite end, seeing Rose standing in the corner. The faint lights from the garden gently illuminated her figure making her seem like she was a part of a painting. If she stood still, perhaps I would've thought I was imagining her. But she didn't stand still. She was almost... shaking.

"Rose?", I spoke up, seeing her tremble dial down as soon as my voice echoed over the balcony. It was an odd reaction, but I didn't let myself think too long of it. Instead, I tried again, only this time with more certainty in my tone: "Rose."

Calling her name as her face stayed hidden from me brought an odd sense of deja vu, like I was back at that cliffside again. As much as the aftermath of that moment made my skin burn when I thought of it, regardless of the fact that I couldn't stop dreaming of that kiss progressing, I didn't want to go back to it. I didn't want to see her so vulnerable and crushed, so frightened. And it seemed my wishes were being fulfilled, because this time she turned before I could walk up to her. When it happened, when our eyes met, I saw a fire like none I'd seen before burn in them. She wasn't scared, she was _determined_.

She crossed the distance between us in a few violent clicks of her heels and then she almost crashed into me. She reached up and curled her fingers around my neck as her head fell back. She pulled me towards her and I didn't just let her, I helped her. She glued her lips to mine and I instantly slipped one of my hands onto the small of her back while the other slid up, gently caressing the bare skin between her shoulder blades. The first time we kissed I was stunned into obedience, but something in me changed tonight. _I wanted this, just as much as she did_. I couldn't get enough of her and my mind simply refused to function even close to rational. I didn't care about the reason behind her kiss, didn't care if it was a distraction or not, I just didn't care about anything except making this moment last as long as possible.

I moved my hand up her soft skin and pushed my fingers into her hair, gripping it tightly as I deepened our kiss. She let out a moan that made heat build in my abdomen. Her hands mimicked mine, her fingers slipping through my hair and tugging on it at the nape of my neck. She trembled again which left me wondering if it was the cold that was making her body twitch or... _me_. For the sake of my own mind, I decided on the first. I let one of my hands slip away from her to quickly unbutton my jacket. She wiggled into it almost immediately, grabbing my tie to pull me closer. Her hands slid up my back, clutching to my shirt every time I ran my tongue over her lips. I should've stopped, I had to stop, but all I wanted to do was to get her out of her dress and—.

"Rose, Dimitri we're leav—, oh!"

We pulled apart seconds before McCall looked up from his place next to the door. His eyes grew so wide I thought his face would disappear. I couldn't blame him though. Despite not seeing us kiss, he could form a clear picture just by how we looked after it. Rose's updo was falling apart, her lipstick almost completely gone if you ignored the smudges left on both of our faces. She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving enough to make me wonder if her dress would crack open from the pressure. My hair was probably disheveled like I just rolled out of bed. My tie was loosened and crooked, my jacket unbuttoned and my pants wrinkling awkwardly underneath my belt. McCall was stunned which was the reason Adrian almost knocked him down when he stepped out as well.

"W-what's going on?", I stammered out, trying to get a hold of myself.

Adrian's eyes ran over both Rose and me in a way that almost made me feel naked, but he luckily restrained himself from making any comments or teases. Instead he strode up to us and pressed his palm into Rose's back, steering her forward as he mumbled: "Come on, time to go."

"But you didn't introduce me to—."

"Some other time", Adrian cut in, waving at me to follow, "Now chop chop!"

"Oпасность?", I asked as I managed to catch up to him which turned out to be harder than I thought since he was clearly in a rush to get out of here.

"No, I—", Adrian started before looking up and pushing through his teeth, "Faint."

"What?", Rose asked when he glued his eyes to her.

"Faint, now!"

I barely had any time to catch Rose as she collapsed in a frighteningly believable way. Luckily, Adrian still held his hand on her back which eased her fall. I heard a few people gasping as Ignat, who was clearly the reason behind Adrian's instructions, stopped in front of us and questioned: "Is she alright?"

"Too much champagne", Adrian shot as he helped me hold Rose who'd gone completely limp between us, "I should take her home."

"But you just got here", Ignat argued, not in the way it would make you think he was sad to see you go, but in the way that meant he was suspicious.

"Well, what can I say, I really don't know how to pick 'em. Goodbye cousin. I guess I'll see you at the wedding. Oh and Tatiana wanted me to let you know she's on her way. Give her a kiss for me."

I was certain Ignat would do no such thing even if Tatiana allowed him to. His eyes narrowed at us as we made our way around him, but he made no attempts to stop us. As soon as we were out of earshot I mumbled: "What did you do?"

"I went somewhere quiet to call my dear aunt and... well, I found a treasure."

"You stole something?"

"Borrowed."

"You really need to look that term up in the dictionary", Rose pushed through her teeth as we reached the front door, McCall rushing ahead to tell the valet to get our car.

"I'll make sure to remember that Little Renegade."

Our car arrived quickly and we all got into it even quicker. Still, there was a brief moment where Adrian and I were left standing in front of it alone. A brief moment he used to return to his usual ways. His eyebrow quirked and a devilish grin crossed his face as he blocked my way and mumbled: "Purple looks good on you."

He winked at me before ducking into the car, leaving me to rub my lips and chin in hopes I could get the remnants of Rose's lipstick off them. And even more useless hopes I could somehow erase the moment that lead to those smugges. _Not that I actually wanted to_.

* * *

 **Hey, how's everyone doing? So, here it is, the party chapter! I didn't wanna give you any spoilers, but judging by all the reviews I got before this chapter, this wasn't what y'all expected! Still, I hope you enjoyed it and please give me feedback as always via reviews or PMs! Now, for some not so good news... there's a chance I won't be able to update next week because of the holidays (Easter is next week for me, but for those of you celebrating it this weekend HAPPY EASTER!), but I promise I'll try to! I just wanted to give y'all heads-up so you won't be left wondering why I disappeared (if I disappear)!**

 **Question of the week: What's your favourite FF in existence (it can be from any fandom, site, completed or not)? Mine will probably forever be a Supernatural FF called Twist and Shout! It's on AO3 (which I'm still trying to figure out how to use hahaha) and I believe the pennames of it's authors are gabriel and standbyme! Even if you're not a Supernatural fan, I recommend this story because it is AMAZING! However, I do feel obliged to inform you it made me sob, like ugly crying level of sobbing, which doesn't happen often to me! Also it's in the explicit category! It's AU so you actually don't need to know anything about the show it was "based" on (the only thing taken from the show are the characters and literally nothing else)!**

 **Alright that's it for today! Kisses and hugs for y'all!**

 **T!**

 **Songs: Got it Bad - Leisure, Howlin' for You - The Black Keys**

* * *

 **Translation:**

 **Oпасность? - Danger?**


	24. CH24 - Misconceptions

**POV: Dimitri**

"Well, that was a bust", Rose commented as I closed the front door behind us.

"At least we had some fun", Adrian pointed out while taking his coat off and hanging it the hallway, "And you, Lady Hathaway, took everyone's breath away while we were at it."

"You don't clean up bad yourself Mr. Ivashkov", she chuckled as he winked at her and bowed.

"Anyway, the night wasn't a complete bust", Adrian announced, pulling out the file he had snatched at the mansion out of his coat and waving with it proudly, "I _borrowed_ some long desired information and got away with it thanks to your stellar performance."

"What kind of information?", Rose prompted, clearly intrigued by the mystery behind the file.

"I can't tell you all of my secrets now, can I?", Adrian shot back before he approached her, took her hand and landed a gentle kiss on top of it, "Good night Rose. Dimitri."

I nodded in goodbye before he headed towards the stairs, probably with the intention of going to his study and digging into work. I couldn't even remember when he had turned into such a hard worker. He certainly didn't look like one to anyone who didn't know him and it was safe to say the privilege of knowing him wasn't widely spread. Rose and I watched him go before I turned to her, taking her necklace out from my pocket. I handed it over and Rose took it wordlessly, without so much as a glance at me before she announced: "I'm gonna go change."

Before I could even think to respond she hurried away and up the stairs as well. I decided to check the perimeters around the house and make sure all of the security detail was in place before I too retired. While making my way to my room I pondered on the events of the night, but mostly about one in particular. The heated kiss Rose and I exchanged on the balcony was unlike our first one in many ways. The first time we kissed she was frightened, desperate to feel alive and make sure we were both alright. It was a kiss that grounded me and calmed me as much as any kiss could. Of course it also shook me to my very core because it was unlike any kiss I'd ever had. She was unlike any woman I'd ever had. Not that I truly had her in any way though. But the kiss we'd shared tonight — it turned my world upside-down, made me mad with desire, woke an animal lurking in my chest. She wasn't frightened tonight. No, she knew exactly what she wanted and she took it. At least that was how things started off. Now, she was probably scared again, scared by my response to her. That was the reason why she ran away so quickly. It had to be.

I pushed the door to my room open as I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed heavily. I had no idea what I was doing, what I wanted, what I—. A barely audible cough had me reaching for my gun in panic. My eyes flew up to meet the ones of similar color, but greater beauty.

"I'm sorry I startled you", Rose spoke up as my hand relaxed and my gun slipped back from the half pulled out state I brought it to in the matter of seconds, "I ran out of clothes to wear, so I thought I might borrow something of yours."

"Of course, let me—", I started saying as I moved to grab something for her, but my steps and words halted when she cut into my path and turned around.

She peered up at me over her shoulder and pointed to her back while saying: "Will you help me out?"

I instinctively stepped forward, grasping the top of her dress carefully while I rested my palm on her shoulder. I heard her sharp intake of breath as I touched her and it made my heart beat faster. _Perhaps she didn't get scared away, perhaps—. No! I shouldn't even think of it_. I already made that same foolish mistake two times. It didn't matter what I wanted, it didn't even matter what she wanted. This was not going to happen, whatever _this_ was.

I tugged the zipper down slowly, the dress opening up to expose more of her skin and the straps of her bra as my hand moved. _This was the longest damn zipper in the universe_ , I thought as I reached the small of her back and decided that was far enough. Her dress fell effortlessly to the floor and I instantly looked away, afraid of the reaction my body was already having. Ever since we'd kissed I couldn't stop thinking about the taste of her lips and their warmth on mine, the scent of her perfume mixing with the smell of her skin in a wave strong enough to have me gripping her body for balance. The moan that had escaped her when I'd tangled my fingers into her hair haunted me and made me want to do unspeakable things to her. And the fact that we were stuck in a car with only an inch of space between us all the way back to home didn't help me calm in the slightest.

"Help yourself", I mumbled, gesturing towards my closet as I stepped away and shakily headed towards the chair situated near the fireplace.

I gripped the frame of the chair to steady myself as I sat down and only then dared to look back at Rose. She still stood where I'd left her, but now facing me with a patient gaze, unlike me clearly unaffected by her lack of clothing. She stepped out of the dress and I watched her chest heave, the lace of her bra slipping further down, exposing more flesh but still keeping everything covered. She paused for a moment, pulling out the clips holding her hair, letting her curls fall around her in the most alluring way possible. I tried to say something, but no words came to me as she strolled towards me painfully slow, her hips swaying in a way that made me dizzy. She stopped when she stood directly above me and I fixed her eyes, trying to focus on anything that would end my speechlessness. Her palm rested on my shoulder and she carefully lifted her leg until she was in a perfect position to straddle me.

"Rosemarie", I breathed out as she settled on top of me and threw her hair back to expose her breasts.

"Shhh", she warned, pressing her fingers against my lips while she reached behind her back in an attempt to unclasp her bra.

"Rose", I growled, grabbing her hand before it could finish its work.

She used the decline of our proximity to lick my lips, sending a jolt down my body. She looked at me with hooded eyes and whispered: "You know you want to."

I did, but she wasn't the only one who was in a fucked up situation and, for me, sleeping with Ibrahim Mazur's daughter would definitely only make things worse. Her free hand slipped between our bodies while her eyes followed her own movements. She drummed her fingers on the buckle of my belt as she sucked her lower lip into her mouth and slowly let her teeth graze it until it returned to its natural pose. I wanted to bite that lip too, bad.

"I can see that you want to", she mumbled, tilting her head to the side while pointedly staring at the bulge between my legs, "Just like you wanted to earlier."

When she realized she didn't succeed in eliciting any sort of a reaction from me, she began unbuckling my pants so I seized her hand and pulled it behind her back with the other one. I glued her wrists together and held them firm with one hand certain she didn't possess the strength to free herself from my hold. I sneaked the other one around her neck and into her hair. She wiggled in an attempt to make me let go until I roughly tugged her arms, making her arch her back so she'd accommodate to the position I had put her in. She was exposed to me, her cleavage right in front of my face, jumping up and down as her breathing quickened. I knew I should put an end to this, knew I should make her do the same before things spiraled out of control, but I just wanted a moment. Just one more taste.

"Stop", I ordered, leaning in until I was a breath away from her, "Stop fighting."

"If you're not going to do anything—", she began saying, but when my lips landed on her neck she gave up on talking.

I kissed her gingerly at first, but the more I progressed down her body the rougher I became. When I reached her bra I bit the material, feeling her hardened nipple underneath slip between my teeth. She moaned and tried rubbing against me, but I made her stay put by dragging her arms down again. I untangled from her hair and ran my fingers over her shoulder, down her chest, over her waist and stomach until I reached my destination, gripping the lace covering her and pushing it to the side.

"I can see that _you_ want to", I threw her words back at her as my fingers became coated in her juices while I rubbed them against her, "Which doesn't mean that you should."

"Dimitri", she breathed out, clearly fighting to maintain control over her mind and words, but I had no intentions of letting her do so.

I ran my tongue over her lips, returning the favor by making her shake in need. I decided to let her think she was in charge so I released her hands. She pounced on me instantly, running her palms over my body and up to my neck so she could grip it and use her hold to force my lips back to hers. I grabbed her ass and lifted her up from the chair with me, walking until I reached my bed and dropping her on it unceremoniously. A gasp escaped her when she collided with the mattress and, by the time she'd realized what was about to happen, I already produced the zip tie stored in the pocket of my pants and secured her hands around the bed frame. It felt good, she felt good. _No, not good... divine_. Luckily, the short absence of her touch gave me a moment of clarity, rationality and I had to take measures to control the both of us.

"What are you—?", she tried asking, before I threw a blanket over her and headed towards my closet.

"I'll get you something to wear", I grumbled, hearing the mattress squeak as she moved on it.

"Are you fucking kidding me?", she shouted after me, but I was too focused on calming my own ache down south to maintain an actual conversation.

"Belikov", she cried out enraged as I picked up a random shirt and tossed it on the foot of the bed, "Take this bloody plastic off me now."

"I'll take it off once you've calmed down and you want to get dressed."

"Calmed... oh fuck that! Fuck you!"

"Rosemarie, please stop swearing", I added patiently as she frantically kicked the blanket away and sat up so she could make a futile attempt to free herself, "It's not very ladylike."

"It's Rose", she spat out, turning to glare at me, "And when will you realize I'm not a lady Comrade?"

"You are", I corrected, crossing my arms over my chest while watching her kick the bed frame as hard as she could in her current position, "Which is why I suggest you stop pretending like you're not. This behavior isn't like you."

"Like me?", she exclaimed, with disbelief and anger, "You don't know me."

"I beg to differ."

"Untie me", she requested, desperately trying to keep her voice even and low.

"Not until you calm down."

"Un-tie m-e", she hissed through clenched teeth, pulling the plastic hard enough to have it digging into her skin.

"Rose, you'll only hurt yourself. Calm—."

"FUCKING UNTIE ME", she growled, kicking everything she could reach around her. The clock that stood on my nightstand fell to the carpet and one of the drawers opened under the velocity of her hits. The covers on the bed bunched up and the blanket slid off along with my pillow. I waited her out, forcing myself into patience until she stopped moving. She breathed heavily, staring at her hands before she pushed out: "Take this off. I'm calm."

I waited for another minute before I reached for my knife. She probably didn't notice what I was doing since she spoke up again. This time, her voice came out so hushed I almost didn't hear it. It had a strained quality to it and a little crack in the end.

"Dimitri, please."

I walked over to the bedpost, jabbing the knife between her wrists and pulling it up until it cut through the plastic. Rose didn't look at me as I approached her or while I was freeing her. She stared at her legs with such concentration she became deadly still. Her hands feel onto her lap when there was nothing left to hold them up and a sob escaped her.

"Rosemarie?", I whispered, dumbfounded by the suddenness of her tears.

 _No response_. I gripped her chin as gently as I could and forced her head up, but she wouldn't look at me. Her lips quivered and she sniffed which made me want to slap myself for causing such a state. _What was I thinking?_

"Rose", I tried again before she pushed my hand away and stood up, "I'm sorry."

"Good night Belikov", she said in the most formal voice I'd heard her use, pushing her way past me and dashing out of the room.

I didn't stop her, not because I couldn't, but because I didn't know what to say to her if I did. What I had done was beyond stupid and I didn't know how to fix it just like I didn't know how to act around her. I always considered myself to be a smart man, but with her I was reduced to an idiotic, emotionless prick. _Fantastic._

 **POV: Adrian**

I flipped through the pages lazily as my eyes scanned the words written on them. I thought this thing would carry a lot more importance than it actually did, but it seemed I wasn't going to get lucky this time. _Hey, I still had five more pages to go through_ , I thought to myself bitterly. Someone knocked on the door, but I didn't bother getting up to open it. It was probably Dimitri and he would come in whether I welcomed him or not. When the knock came again, I frowned and shouted: "It's open."

The door moved to let someone into the study before it quickly shut again. I glanced up from the papers and saw Rose standing there in nothing but her bra and panties. I dropped my pen and quirked my eyebrow at her, gripping the armrest so I'd stay put. She looked mighty fine and I wasn't exactly known as someone who practiced restrain. However, I had to think with my upper brain when it came to Rose. Had to for many reasons, the most important being that there was clearly something going on between her and Dimitri. Something neither of them seemed to be ready to acknowledge or discuss quite yet.

"Can we talk?", she mumbled as she took a few steps forward.

"Sure, but I think it'd be wise if you put some clothes on first", I responded as I folded the file before me, "I'm only human after all."

"I don't have any left."

I nodded like I was confirming to no one in particular I could handle declining the proximity between an almost naked woman and myself before standing up and motioning her to follow me. We walked out of my study and into my bedroom where I got a T-shirt for her and waited patiently until she put it on. She glanced down her body and chuckled.

"What?"

"I didn't think you owned something this _casual_ ", she pointed out with amusement, smiling at me as she played with the hem that reached her mid-thighs.

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but I don't sleep in a suit."

"You sleep in this shirt?"

"I usually sleep naked", I replied to which she glanced up at me wide-eyed and red-cheeked, "Or in my boxers. The shirt plays its part on my days off more than it does when I'm in bed. But, you didn't come here to talk about my sleeping attire."

"No, I didn't", she muttered into her chin, but that was all she said.

"So, what _did_ you want to talk about?"

"I know I probably shouldn't ask and you probably won't agree to it, but—", her voice trailed off as she glanced around the room, visibly nervous.

"Just ask Rose."

"Could I speak to my f-family again? Syd or Lissa. I just... I know they're still worried sick and I want to—."

"I'll think about it", I cut in, giving her a tight-lipped smile, "I'll let you know what I decide."

"Thank you."

"Sure. Is that all?", I asked, realizing I was eager to go to bed when I glanced at it.

"I guess", she mumbled and I nodded, turning to walk her out before she prompted, "Adrian?"

"Hm?"

"Can I stay here?", she almost whispered, making me peer back at her in surprise. She nervously waited for my response, but when she didn't get one, added: "I don't want to be alone tonight."

"Fine, but I'm not sleeping on the floor."

"You don't have to", she blurted looking rather giddy as she took a step back and peeked at the bed, "It's pretty big anyway."

"I have to shower", I announced, heading back to my closet to get fresh clothes for myself as well.

"Okay. I'll go take my makeup off in the meantime."

 _What's left of it_ , I added in my head as a brief flash of her and Dimitri standing all breathless and red-cheeked on the balcony of my cousin's house crossed my mind. _Yep, definitely something happening there_. Rose took off which still didn't make me comfortable enough to get butt naked in my room, as I usually did, knowing she could pop back in at any moment. Instead, I picked up my stuff and made my way towards the bathroom. By the time I was done, Rose was already back, sitting on the edge of the bed with her legs tucked underneath her. She was holding something in her hand, but quickly pushed it underneath the pillow as I walked in.

"Whatcha hiding there Little Renegade?", I asked, walking around the bed.

"Nothing", she mumbled, rolling around to sneak under the blanket I'd left for her.

"Are we keeping secrets now?", I questioned with a quirk of my eyebrow as Rose huffed and rolled her eyes, digging out a picture and handing it to me.

"This is Lissa", she said while pointing at a slim blond with green eyes, "And this is—."

"Sydney. Yeah, I know. I had the pleasure."

"Right", she mumbled, her hand falling onto the bed as she stared at the picture.

"Tell me about them."

"Liss and Syd?", she questioned with obvious surprise.

"Yeah. You said they're your family, right? Family's important. And we're friends so what's important to you is important to me."

She studied me for a moment, but her excitement over the topic seemed to have won out quickly which lead her into a babbling spiral. She told me everything: how she met them, what they were like, what they did for a living, all the good and bad memories they had. She talked for hours and, oddly, it didn't bore me one bit. The most shocking thing though wasn't the way Rose opened up or the fact that I enjoyed all of the stories she had told me, but that it wasn't a conversation I led to benefit from. I wasn't looking for information I could store or a weakness I could use against her. It was an innocent talk between _friends_.

 _I never had a friend_. It sounded ludicrous, but it was the truth. Sure, Dimitri could qualify, but that wasn't what I'd call him. He started off as my employee... well, the employee who was related to me. He became my family along the way. The friend part kind of got lost in between him hating me and him being ready to die for me. And, though I never hated him but at best simply disliked him, I felt similar things towards him as he did towards me while we were building our relationship. _No, friend wasn't a good enough word. He was like a brother to me._ As for everyone else — I was pretty sure they were there because I paid them well. Not that none of them cared for me. McCall surely did. But he wasn't my friend. Not really.

Rose was the first friend I ever made. I guess that said a lot about me judging by the fact that this was a woman I kidnapped. Then again, I was always twisted so this made perfect sense in my wacky universe. All in all, I liked it. I liked it a lot. It felt good to talk to someone, especially someone who wasn't nearly as fucked up as Dimitri and me. It felt good to lower my guard and watch her lower hers. And, despite how odd my relationship with Dimitri developed, this did remind me of the first time he let me in and encouraged me to do the same. It was a turning point for us and I knew that this, right now, would be a turning point for Rose and me too. I just didn't know where it would lead. I could only hope it was going somewhere good.

The dark night sky lightened by the time Rose and I became silent. I could barely keep my eyes open and was almost certain she had fallen asleep until she quietly mumbled: "What's your endgame?"

"Hm?", I prompted, peeking at her through my eyelashes.

"Getting Ibrahim to fight with you, are you simply trying to defeat your enemies?"

"You should've learned by now _simply_ isn't a word you can use in a single conversation with me Rose", I chuckled, rolling over to my side as she opened her eyes and fixed mine, "And no, defeating them isn't the purpose, just one step."

"You're not going to tell me what the goal is, are you?", she laughed humorlessly.

"Actually, I am. It's getting out."

"Getting out?"

"Yes. Getting out of this business, this bullshit, this life."

"You want to live a normal life?", she exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.

"As normal as I can, yeah."

"Wow", she breathed out, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling, "I never would've guessed."

"Yet, it's pretty obvious", I mumbled, following her gaze as an all too familiar weight began pressing on my chest, "You've been a part of this world, my world, for a nanosecond and you can hardly wait to go home. Me... I've been in this hell since I was born. I'm tired. Tired of fighting, tired of putting my mind in overdrive and foreseeing every step of those who want me dead or incarcerated, tired of burying people I love. Just fucking exhausted."

"Fuck", was all she said as she ran her hand through her hair and then turned back towards me.

"Exactly."

"I'm sorry", she whispered, sneaking her hand across the bed to catch mine.

"What for? It's not your fault", I replied, but somehow felt comforted by her words and her gesture.

"I know. It's just... well, I haven't made things easy for you either."

"I would've been disappointed if you did", I teased, seeing a small smile spread over her lips.

"You love it that I'm a pain in the ass, huh?"

"Doesn't everyone?", I chuckled, making her roll her eyes.

After a few more moments of silence, she tugged her blanket up and snuggled in. She still held my hand, even when she closed her eyes and mumbled a lazy goodnight. She held it until we both fell asleep. And it was in that half-lucide state that I made up my mind about her request from earlier, wanting to show her my appreciation for the solace she had offered to me without even realizing it. I made up my mind to give her more than she had asked for, despite my instinct screaming at me that it was a bad idea. Because she deserved it. Because she _earned it_.

 **POV: Dimitri**

Sleep didn't come easy. Not that it was something new to me. Only, it had been a while since I last felt so enerved by my own actions. Working for Adrian meant I had to learn to become indifferent. Tossing the weight of guilt aside was the only way to survive. When I was haunted at night, it was by the baggage I carried with me from my past life, the things I couldn't shake off because I never truly faced them or accepted them. This night, however, every time I closed my eyes I saw Rose's tears filled ones and I repeatedly cursed at myself for being the reason behind it. It took me hours to fall asleep and when I got up in the morning I felt as exhausted as I would if I'd stayed awake all night.

I realized I never got around to checking in with Adrian before I went to bed. The files he had stolen might have contained important information about his cousins' plans. Adrian had mentioned there were rumors about them moving into new territories and I knew he was anxious to find out more, especially with the threat of them turning against him looming in the air. However, I knew he was probably still asleep if he stayed up longer to work, so I decided to wait for him to come downstairs instead of waking him. It was a good call since he looked like walking dead when he stumbled into the kitchen and groaned: "Coffee."

I shook my head and handed him a cup as he marched past me. His eyes were barely open so it was no surprise more coffee ended up on the counter than in his cup when he tried to pour it. He didn't bother wiping the mess though, not until he drank a few large gulps that seemed to bring him to a more lucid state.

"Long night?"

"The longest. I barely got an hour of sleep."

"Does that mean the file was useful?"

"Nah", he huffed, rubbing his shoulder as a deep frown spread over his forehead, "It's garbage. Nothing I didn't already know. Well that is unless the very end of it turns into a miracle. I never got around to reading it."

"Why not?", I asked automatically as I heard someone thumping down the stairs.

"I got distracted", Adrian mumbled before Rose showed up.

I could freely admit I was more than anxious about seeing her. I expected her to be cold, maybe even slash me with her words or glances, give me hell for what I'd done last night. Instead, when our eyes met, I realized she seemed completely... normal. It had to be a mask, had to be her way of shielding herself because I couldn't think of a single thing that could make her go from being on the verge of tears to being indifferent. That was until I let my eyes wander down her body to see what she was wearing. A shirt with _Vault_ printed in sharp, bold, black lettersacross the middle. Vault - the bar Adrian used to own. It was his shirt. And that was when the pieces started to fall into place.

"I'm feeling like having banana split for breakfast", Adrian spoke up, making Rose groan even though her lips tugged into a smile.

"Oh fuck off. I knew I shouldn't have shared that story with you."

"But it's so good", Adrian laughed as I remained paralyzed by the realization Rose had been the one to distract him.

She had spent the night with him. _Did she spend it in his bed_? _Did she go to him because I rejected her_? Admittedly, I was having too strong of a reaction, but I couldn't control my body and mind no matter how much I wanted to. I could feel my blood boiling as a spiral of thoughts filled my head. Oddly, the last one that floated to the surface was: _How could he do that to me_? I had no idea where it came from, especially since it wasn't valid. Adrian didn't do anything to me, he couldn't have because I had no _claims_ on Rose and even if I did he didn't know of them. Still, when I glanced at him while he ruffled Rose's hair and grinned at her, I suddenly felt like punching him. However, before I could ponder on my feelings and desires any longer, Rose's words washed over me like a cold shower.

"Whatever Mr. _I wanna have a normal life_."

"You told her?", I gasped, making them turn towards me, Rose with a questioning expression and Adrian with a guilty one.

"Could you give us a minute Rose?", Adrian prompted with his eyes fixing mine and, surprisingly, she dashed away without a word.

"You told her?", I repeated as soon as we were alone, but now with more control over my voice.

"Yes. I told her", he replied almost nonchalantly, "I think she deserved to know. I mean she's a part of this whole—."

"Many people are a part of it", I cut in, narrowing my eyes at him, "And you never told any of them."

"Well, what can I say Dimitri, I guess I trust her."

"Trust her? Since when?"

"Since... I don't know", he sighed, turning away from me, "Since now."

I couldn't even explain to myself why I was so angry. I threw around reasons like _he didn't consult me_ or _he made her equal to me_ , but in the end my mouth moved and produced the words hidden in my subconscious: "Are you in love with her?"

Adrian jerked back towards me, his eyes widening as he exclaimed: "What? No! Why would you even think that?"

"Because I know you don't share information of such importance with every girl you—", I started, almost feeling like my own mind was rejecting the last words I was about to speak, "Sleep with."

I took a risk, mostly because I just wanted to know the truth. Flat out asking him was not something I could ever bring myself to do. Asking Rose wasn't even an option, especially after how our last interaction ended. For a single moment, his expression was completely blank and then he actually grinned and burst: "Oh for fuck's sake, I thought you were pissed at me for... fuck, Dimitri, I did NOT sleep with Rose. I know I... well, we had a little moment a little while back, but now, I'd never do anything like that with her."

"Why not?", I repeated, the tiniest hint of relief spreading through me followed by a wave of guilt over everything that had crossed my mind. And then that relief was completely pushed back to make room for havoc as Adrian's replied.

"Take your pick. But mostly because it's pretty fucking obvious you're more than into her."

"I, what? Where did you get that i—?"

"Don't. Don't even. It's fine if you want to lie to yourself, but don't lie to me."

"Adrian I—", I began saying, my heart picking up a faster rhythm as heat rushed to my face.

"No, nope, nah ah", Adrian burst, shaking his head vigorously as he jumped up and started walking away from me, "I don't want to hear bullshit. Come talk to me when you find your way out of denial."

"Adrian", I repeated, but he was gone, leaving me to my own jumbled up mind.

 _More than into her_. _Am I_? _How bad would it be if I am_? With a shaky breath escaping me I mumbled: "Bad. Extremely bad."

* * *

 **Surprise! I made it! And I have to admit you can all thank the guest reviewer whose bday is today (Happy Birthday lovely!) for giving me the extra push I needed to make myself get down to business! On top of the holidays mess, I'm actually having some health issues *cringe* so yeah I guess I really appreciate y'all so much I just had to come through today despite how difficult it was for me to even get out of bed! And of course my beta gave me some much needed support along with my dear PPT making friend so thanks girls (you know who you are)! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, even though I gave you blue balls (sorryyyyy)! Let me know your thoughts and hopefully things will improve for me next week and I'll see y'all on schedule!**

 **Question of the week: Which book are you currently reading? (if you're not reading anything at the moment than list the last one you've read)! I'm reading Happy Hour in Hell by Tad Williams and enjoying the hell out of it (pun intended)! XD I truly recommend the Bobby Dollar Novels series which this book is a part of! :)**

 **XOXO T!**

 **Songs: Love Lockdown - Glass Animals, Don't tell me - Matthew Heath and Grady Griggs**


	25. CH25 - Family First

**POV: Dimitri**

 **9 years ago**

I emptied what little was left in my stomach in a long and almost painful hurl, the sickening sound echoing off the bathroom walls. I sat back on my heels, feeling my eyes prick and my throat burn. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and pushed myself to stand up, flushing the toilet. I washed my hands and splashed some water on my face, glancing up at my reflection in the process. My hair was falling out of the tail I'd attempted to put it in, strands sticking to my wet face. The bags under my eyes were too large and dark to ignore, especially with the slowly healing bruises on my face.

"You need to turn yourself in", I mumbled to the monster in the mirror.

I had committed a terrible crime. The most unforgiving one. And not just once. I did it over and over again. It felt good to do it. Getting revenge felt good. That was proof enough that I should spend the rest of my life behind bars, caged like the animal I was. I deserved to wake up screaming, to see the havoc I'd wreaked every time I closed my eyes, to have the blood on my hands haunting me until I lost my mind. I deserved to burn in hell. Only... _what would my family do_? Without my support, without the food I put on their table, without me, no matter how poisonous I was? My mother, breaking her back. My sisters ruining their lives. I couldn't allow it. I couldn't live with it. Maybe that was my punishment — staying forever in agony because of the misery I'd bring onto my family.

A blaring ring sprawled through the apartment making me jump. I couldn't help wondering if the police had caught up with me, if the choice was going to be made for me. If I was taken away, it'd be easier. Either way, hiding in the bathroom forever wasn't exactly a possibility so I slowly headed towards the front door, holding my breath. The ringing came again, but there was no one announcing themselves on the other side like the police should. Perhaps they thought I'd try to run. I opened the door with my heart beating out of my chest by the time the third ring came. In front of it, I found a man.

He was around my age. He wasn't wearing a uniform, but what looked like a rather expensive suit. His chestnut hair was visibly styled to be messy and there was a smirk that looked rather arrogant plastered on his face. The moment I met his eyes I felt a chill running through my body. _Emerald green_. A color all too familiar. His voice sounded familiar too, the dangerous sweetness with the false reassurance: "Dimitri Belikov, pleasure to finally put a face to the name."

"What do you want?", I spat out, feeling my face twist in disgust as he stepped forward.

"Well, I would like to be invited in for starters."

I was tempted to slam the door in his face, but for some reason I let it open further and wordlessly let him in. Maybe some masochism would do me good. He slipped into the apartment and took his coat off, folding it over his arm as he glanced around. I shut the door behind him, leaning against it as I crossed my arms over my chest. He let a few moments of silence pass as he scanned the place, nearing the dining table and carefully picking a good enough spot to lean on before he looked back at me.

"I'm Adr—."

"I know who you are", I cut in, remembering one of the rare times my mother mentioned my cousins from my father's side, "So skip the pointless chit chat and tell me what you want?"

"I want to help you", he replied, tilting his head as he folded his other arm over the coat, "And in return, I want you to help me."

"I don't need your help", I retorted proudly, not wanting to show him an inch of weakness because if he was anything like his father or mine, and I was guessing he was, he'd devour my soul before I could even blink. I was desperate, but I wasn't desperate enough to make a deal with the devil. At least I really hoped I wasn't.

"I, sadly, beg to differ", he mumbled, his eyes traveling around the room before they settled on me, "Look, you seem like a proud man and I respect that, but you really have gotten yourself into some messy shit. Now, I can get you out of it, if you agree to come work for me."

"Work for you?", I humorlessly laughed, "You mean work for your father?"

"No. I mean exactly what I said", he corrected, an annoyed frown twisting his smirk, "And since you insisted on cutting the chit chat, I'd like an answer."

"The answer is no", I replied, moving away from the door as I added, "I'm sure you can walk yourself out."

"Do you want Karolina to live a long life?", he asked, his tongue awkwardly rolling over my sister's name, "And Sonya? Viktoria? Because I can assure you, if you stick with that answer, their life span will drastically shorten."

"Are you threatening my sisters?", I hissed through gritted teeth, crossing the distance between us in a few quick strides as he straightened up.

"Wouldn't dream of it. I'm simply pointing out that if you go down for multiple homicide, there'll be no one left to protect them. And, let's face it, plenty of people will be after them because of what you've done."

"And if I come work for you, there'll still be no one left to protect them."

"See, that's where you're wrong", he contradicted, remaining so calm he was actually starting to make me want to jump out of my own skin, "If you come work for me, if you pledge your life and loyalty to me, I'll make sure they're not only protected, but taken care of for the rest of their lives. I'm talking a place to live, a full fridge, money for all of their daily expenses, schooling, jobs, healthcare and around a clock protection. You stay out of jail, your family leads a comfortable life and, as a bonus, I'll help you make the person who truly is behind your friend's death pay."

"All of that just to get me to work for you?"

"It's hard work", he chuckled, but his laugh was dry.

"And if I meet my maker sooner than I should, what happens to my family?"

"A deal is a deal Belikov. I'll keep my end of the barging regardless of whether you live or not. Hell, I'll keep it even if I die."

"Why? Why me? Why go through the trouble?"

He averted his gaze, leaning back on the table as his shoulders slumped. If there was one thing I noticed about him as soon as he walked into Ivan's apartment, it was that he was confident. There didn't seem to be a speck of fear or doubt in him. Not until now. Maybe it was that subtle change in his posture or the way his eyes darkened, but it was in that small moment of what looked like weakness that I thought: _Maybe he's not like his father. Maybe I don't have to be like mine either_. Maybe that was why his next words didn't make me snap the way they surely would've under different circumstances.

"Because, like it or not, we're blood. I guess that ought to mean something, right?"

 **Present day**

Adrian was in my room. I could hear his muffled voice behind the closed door. I had no idea who he was talking to, but I was on the verge of getting annoyed because he had let himself in without asking. I generally didn't mind him being there. I liked solitude, but somewhere along the way he had made me used to his presence enough to find it odd when he wasn't around for more than a few hours. However, this time I really just wanted to crash onto my bed face first after a twelve hour shift.

I opened the door only to see him shamelessly sprawled across that very bed, his feet dangling from the edge and his head propped on his palm as he stared at the screen before him, exclaiming: "My God, aren't you the most adorable being on the planet?"

"Is that my laptop?"

"And your angel niece", he shot back, turning the laptop until I could see the screen and the ongoing video call, "Say hi to your uncle Dimka, Zoya."

"Dimaaaa", Zoya squealed as Karo waved at me.

"Привет маленькие", I shot back before I quirked my eyebrow at Adrian.

"What? They called five times. I didn't want them to get worried."

"Five times? Is everything alright?", I questioned, but knew judging by Adrian's carefree expression I had no reason to panic.

"Everything's great, but we miss you", Karo supplied as Adrian stood up.

"I'll leave you to it. Stop by my room once you're done", he mumbled before he blew a kiss to my sister and niece adding, "See you around красотки."

"Bye", Karo shot back, her smile widening as I rolled my eyes at Adrian.

"Так что нового?", I prompted as Zoya yawned and blinked up at her mother.

"English, please. I'm trying to practice", Karo chuckled as I sat on the bed and picked up the laptop, dropping it into my lap.

We talked for almost a full hour, a few of my other family members interrupting to greet me before going to bed. Sometimes it was easy to forget the time difference, but when Zoya dozed off in Karo's lap I knew I couldn't keep them awake any longer no matter how much I wanted to keep talking to them until my mouth ran dry.

Just as we were about to finish up, Karo's eyes sparked up the way they always would when she'd remember something and she quickly added: "Oh and thank Adrian for the TV again."

"TV?"

"Yeah, Paul took my phone and sent his early Christmas request. He got in a lot of trouble for it, but Adrian wouldn't take the TV back even after I explained what had happened."

"Of course he wouldn't."

Adrian adored spoiling my nephew and nieces even more than my siblings. Sometimes I wondered if it was his way of making up for the bad things he'd done. Other times I thought he was trying to reassure himself he'd make a good father one day. He never said it in many words, but it was more than clear he planned to have a family of his own at some point. I was certain he'd make a great family man, not because of his excessive spending, but because he had a lot of love to give and, so far, not many people to give it to.

As soon as Karo signed out I made my way to Adrian's room. He left the door open for me and I wasted no time getting in. I was hoping to finish up with him soon so I could get some rest. Apparently, he had the same thing on his mind since, the moment I joined him on his balcony, he said: "You look exhausted so I'll keep this short. I wanted to talk to you about us?"

"Us? Are we breaking up?", I chuckled, seeing him smirk as he took a drag from his cigarette, keeping his eyes fixed somewhere on the horizon.

"I hope not. That's why we need to get back on the same page."

"We are on the same page", I argued as he jabbed the cigarette into the ashtray left on the small table behind him and turned towards me.

"No, we're not. We haven't been ever since Rose came into the picture."

I could feel myself going rigid as he mentioned Rose. Our last conversation involving her left me with hours of pondering about the whole situation and winding up more confused than I was to begin with. It was one thing when I was alone, battling my own thoughts. Being called out by Adrian was a whole new ordeal. And the tension in my body only increased as he added: "I'm not saying it's your fault or anything. It's nobody's fault really. But we'd been butting heads a lot and I can't keep ignoring it."

"Perhaps I've been a little bullheaded about some decisions concerning Rose", I started carefully, knowing I had to owe up to my fair share of those conflicts, "But—."

"But what?", he prompted when my voice trailed off.

"You've been a bit reckless lately", I finished, anxiously peering at him as he bit his lips and frowned.

"Hmm, well, I do get like that sometimes. I guess that's why I have you. We level each other out. Only, lately that hasn't been working. At least not when it comes to her. So, let's clear the air. I have been reckless and I think the reason behind it is that Rose made me want to walk the line I'd been staying clear of for a while. I think it's her personality, the fire in her... it catches on. I let myself get carried away, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it."

"The fire didn't catch on. You had it. It's just... well, she's like gasoline", I pondered out loud seeing him quirk his eyebrow.

"And you're supposed to be like water. So what happened?"

"I don't know", I admitted, watching his eyes spark up.

"Are you sure about that? Because it looks to me like you've gone from hating Rose, to—", he started, but then seemed to have changed his mind about what he was going to say, "Look, I'm not asking you to have a heart-to-heart with me over this. Actually, I'm not going to ask you about it all. Just do me a favor, sort that shit out. I want you to keep your mind sharp and your head in the game, because we both know how distractions end. I need you. Alive. Okay?"

"Adrian, I think you're—, you might be overreacting", I mumbled, trying to convince us both this wasn't as big of a deal as we were starting to make it out to be, "I'm not in love with her or anything. Just like you, I had a moment with her, a mistake. It's not important."

"I told you not to lie to me."

"I'm not", I argued as his expression switched to annoyed and he crossed his arms over his chest, "I'm not lying. Even if there was something there, it's not going anywhere. I got it under control. My mind is fine. I'm good. We're good."

"Okay", he huffed, his arms dropping, "But it'd be fine if it was."

"If it was what?"

"Happening. Your decisions and feelings are your own, I don't want to and will never try to control them. And that goes beyond Rose. I'll support you whatever you chose to do as long as it's not self destructive. This is your life, don't waste it living it any differently than you want to."

"Okay. Thanks", I mumbled, silence settling in shortly.

"Alright", he suddenly burst, ushering me back inside, "You need to go fall into a coma and I need to work. But first, I have an idea I want to run by you."

"Shoot."

 **POV: Rose**

 _I swear this car keeps magically getting smaller_ , I wined to myself, wiggling in my seat as I attempt to straighten my legs somewhere in between Dimitri and Adrian without actually touching either of them. I'd picked up on how Dimitri went into a hundred percent grumpy mode lately everytime Adrian and I did anything remotely intimate which had me staying clear of Adrian as much as I possibly could. On the other hand, coming into any physical contact with Dimitri proved to be dangerous. More than dangerous. Kind of deadly really. To say I felt utterly humiliated after he flat out rejected me was putting it nicely. Perhaps I got a little... okay, more than a little carried away, but I knew I wasn't making things up. He wanted to kiss me as much as I wanted to kiss him and I was damn sure he wanted to do a lot more than that to me. _Then why did he literally tie you up to get away from you_?, my mind mocked making me huff.

"You okay there Rose?", Adrian prompted as I glanced over at him.

"Fine", I replied, letting my eyes wander between him and Dimitri, adding: "Anyone care to tell me where we're going?"

"It's a surprise", Adrian said with a small smirk, turning to Dimitri to mumble something in Russian.

"Will you stop that? I'm right here. I don't understand you, but I'm right here."

"Maybe we should teach you some Russian. It could come in handy."

"What for? You both understand what _fuck you_ means in English just fine."

"Cheer up", Adrian exclaimed, nudging my leg with his knee, "Today's going to be awesome."

I was about to ask him where his sudden positivity came from, but then gave up, shrugging and turning to stare through the window. It wasn't until I began noticing some familiar streets and shops that my interests were finally piqued. It took me a while to realize where we were though and by that time the car already eased to a stop. My jaw almost fell into my lap and I jerked my head towards Adrian in a mix of panic and excitement, watching his lips spread into a satisfied smile while he announced: "We're here. Surprise."

"Why-y are we in front o-of Sydney's building?"

"You said you wanted to talk to your family again. So go do it."

"What—, I—? Is this... are you for real?"

"Mhm", he hummed, pushing the door open for me before he settled back into his seat, "You have twenty minutes. We'll wait for you here. Stay smart."

"You're letting me do this alone?", I questioned in disbelief.

"Yes", Adrian replied while Dimitri shockingly seemed completely at ease, not making any attempts to stop me or protest, "Don't make me regret it."

"I-I won't", I babeled, throwing myself across the car to give him a tight hug, despite my earlier attempts to make our interactions less physical, "I promise."

"Good", he mumbled into my shoulder as he hugged me back, "Say hi to your pretty friend for me."

I scrambled out of the car and rushed pass McCall who, in the meantime, got out to hold the building door open for me. I didn't pause when I hit the stairs, didn't stop until I was slamming into Sydney's door with my entire body. I was certain I was going to pass out from the combination of lack of oxygen and exhilaration, but all of it became irrelevant when the door swung back and Sydney appeared before me. When she opened up, the first glimpse of her I got was the one that made her almost unrecognizable. There was a deep frown stuck on her forehead, an almost lifeless look in her eyes and an overall cloud of exhaustion surrounding her. For a split second it seemed like she didn't realize it was me who was standing there, but when our eyes locked her expression became blank and then shock rolled over her face.

"Oh my God Syd", I gasped before I collapsed into her arms, almost knocking her on her ass.

"R-rose?", she stammered into my shoulder while I squeezed her hard enough to fear I'd injure her.

I took a deep breath, simultaneously grinning and feeling tears gather up in my eyes as the scent of her hair filled my nostrils. I couldn't believe this was happening, probably just as much as she couldn't, and so for a solid minute we just stood there hugging while I continuously repeated: "Oh my God."

Once we forced ourselves to let go, Sydney pulled me inside and slammed the door behind us before turning to face me. I could see million questions popping up in her eyes, but in the end she only pushed out: "How?"

"It's complicated would be an understatement of a century", I chuckled a bit hysterically, checking out the watch in her hallway so I could set up a mental alarm for when it was my time to leave.

"You know what, it doesn't matter", she erupted, her usual spark returning as she grinned, "You're here, that's what's important. It's over."

"Well", I drawled, feeling guilty for recklessly getting her hopes up, "Not exactly. I can't stay long."

"You—, what?"

"I agreed with my, um, friends I'd only stay for a little while", I mumbled as her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

"You mean your kidnappers? Are they here?", she almost shouted, turning her head as if she was expecting them to pop out of nowhere, right there in her apartment, "Rose, we have to call the police. Don't worry, they can't take you away again."

She dug her phone out so fast I barely had time to grab her hands and stop her from calling the entire fucking military. She was more than confused, probably both my actions and my uncommon calmness, but she didn't move as I carefully said: "Wait, Syd. They won't take me away. I—, I'll leave on my own."

"W-what?"

"Look, what I'm about to tell you is going to be hard to wrap your mind around, but I don't have a lot of time and I can't exactly go into details on some things, but please just listen. Can you do that for me? Just stay calm and listen."

She unblinkingly stared at me for a few seconds before slowly and reluctantly nodding. And then I told her. I told her almost everything. The truth about my parents, the world I'd stumbled upon and became a part of, how I got kidnapped no less than two times, how I tried to escape from Adrian's place, how I was in a car chase and a shoot off which almost got me killed, how I ultimately became friendly with my kidnappers who turned out to be more like my bodyguards. I told her everything I thought I should. I knew Adrian couldn't possibly find out what I was talking to her about unless he wired her apartment, but even without him listening, I stuck to my promise. I stayed smart which meant no mentioning of my kidnappers' names, no Aaron and Jesse talk, not a word about Adrian's plans.

When I finally stopped to take a breath, Sydney recovered from the rollercoaster of emotions I'd put her through and summarized: "So, your father is not only not dead, but he's a criminal. Your mother is not who she's been introducing herself to be. You're willing staying with your kidnappers who you won't name. And you want me to keep all of this a secret?"

"Pretty much, yeah", I huffed, wiggling on the floor we winded up sitting on while we talked, "I told you it'd be hard to wrap your mind around."

"You weren't lying", she huffed, knotting her fingers in her lap, "But why not tell Lissa? She's worried sick about you. She's one of your best friends."

"Trust me when I tell you I'd love nothing more than to tell Lissa and see her while we're at it. But I can't. And I can't explain why."

"Rose, are you sure you know what you're doing?", she carefully prompted as I checked the time again. _Five more minutes_.

"I have no fucking clue what I'm doing Syd. When have I ever had a clue? But, despite some minor mishaps, the _arrangement_ I'm in seems to be working."

"Mishaps?", she exclaimed almost enraged, "You almost died. TWO TIMES."

"Well, I never said it was ideal. It's more like... functional."

"I'm sorry, but I have to say I'm having a hard time trusting you on this", she mumbled while I reached over and placed my hand on top of hers.

"Hey, come on, you know me. I always land on my feet. I'll be fine. And when it's all over, I'll come back home and it'll be like it never even happened", I reassured her, knowing I was lying my way into the deepest circle of hell.

"R—", Sydney started before the doorbell rang so loudly through the hallway we both scrambled to our feet immediately. We exchanged panicked glances, neither of us daring to move. I peered at the watch, frowning when I realized I still had three minutes left. It couldn't be Adrian and Dimitri, even if I ignored the fact they'd never expose themselves to Sydney if they could help it. Sydney swallowed her fear down and finally pushed out: "W-who is i-it?"

"It's me, I forgot my key", a muffled voice came from the other side.

"Who is—?", I hissed as she rolled her eyes at me in an annoyed manner.

"Really Rose, you actually don't recognize his voice?", she mumbled and upon seeing my baffled expression added: "Jesus, Brayden, my fiance. The one I've been living with. Ring a bell?"

"Fuck, he can't see me here", I blurted out, immediately heading towards the window that led to the fire escape, "Don't let him in until I'm gone."

"Rose, wait, I... when can I see you again?"

"I don't know, but I'll stay in touch as much as I can, okay? Remember, don't tell anyone anything. It's for your own safety and mine."

"Okay, okay, I got it. Just don't get into more trouble", she warned as another ring came and I slid the window up.

"No promises", I laughed, winking at her, "But I'll do my best."

I hopped out the window, turing to wave at her as she finally seemed to realize there was only one way out of her apartment that didn't include the front door. Her eyes widened as she exclaimed: "You can't be serious?"

"You have any better ideas?", I asked, grinning at her horrified expression before quickly adding, "I love you."

"I love you too", I heard her reply as I slid down the shaky metal construction as fast as I could.

 **POV: Adrian**

I leaned my head against the edge of the pool and blew out a thick cloud of smoke. _Man I needed this,_ I thought as my lips spread into a small smile almost reflexively. I reached over my shoulder, water dripping down my arm while I grabbed my glass and took a measured sip of my drink, holding it on my tongue for a moment before swallowing. I closed my eyes and breathed in the heavy, warm air that rolled over the surface of the water. I distantly heard the gentle squeak of the glass door behind me and then Rose mumbling: "Hey."

"Little Renegade, what brings you here?", I prompted while still examining the insides of my eyelids.

"Eddie told me where to find you. I wanted to... tell you something."

"If you want to express your gratitude for the new batch of clothes I'd supplied, you're welcome."

"Oh, right, that too", she blurted, finally making me look at her.

She stood near the edge, almost just above me, but her gaze rested on the wall opposite of us. For a moment, her lost in thoughts expression reminded me a lot of Dimitri. That furrowed brow and the heavy sigh, I have expected her to start grooming her hero hair soon. I propped my arm on the tiles and encouraged her with a casual: "What's up?"

She glanced down, fixing her eyes briefly somewhere right in front of me before she asked: "Are you naked?"

"Do you really want an answer to that question?", I chuckled, seeing her blush.

"Never mind", she mumbled, rolling her eyes, "Can I join you?"

"Sure."

I went back to my earlier pose, hearing Rose drop one piece of her clothing after the other on the floor before rounding the pool and lowering herself into the water carefully. The straps of her bra glued to her skin as soon as they got soaked like the rest of her underwear. She hooked her thumbs underneath them and pulled on them, wiggling her shoulders and than pushed herself away from the edge, swimming towards me. She stopped when she was near, but kept a safe distance which made me chuckle: "Relax, my private parts don't bite and, anyway, they're safe within my trunks."

"Whatever", she huffed, but moved closer.

She grabbed my glass and took a hefty gulp, shrugging when I quirked my eyebrow at her and laughed: "Help yourself, why don't you."

"Friends share", she shot, placing the glass back before folding her arms on the tiles and propping her head on them.

"So, the thing you wanted to tell me—."

"I'm in."

"What?"

"I'm all in. Until the end. Ride or die and all that shit. This fight of yours, I got your back. I'll do whatever it takes for you to win."

"Where is this coming from Rose?"

"I know—, I know you're not doing this for money or greed. You're not even doing it for yourself. You're doing it for your family, your friends, the legacy that was left to you and the one you're going to leave behind."

"And how do you know all of that?", I questioned with amusement.

"I just do", she replied with an admirable amount of confidence, fixing my eyes to underline how serious about this she was.

"I don't think you truly know what you're bargaining for", I pointed out, turning around to match her position, "I could tell you—."

"Yeah, you could and should tell me. More. Everything. It won't change my decision though. We're doing this together, whether you like it or not."

"Are you giving me an ultimatum?"

"I am."

I simpered, nodding to myself before I said: "Okay. You're in."

* * *

 **Hey y'all! I'm back! I'm really sorry about missing last week's update! As I said, I was dealing with some health problems, but I'm way better now and so I'm back at it! I'd like to thank everyone who reached out to me to see how I was doing and sent me good wishes! Y'all are angels! Anyhow, I really hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and, as always, let me know your thoughts on it! Also, I thought I should repeat that I respond to all of my reviews, unless I accidently overlook some (let me know if I do!) and unless they are guest reviews, through PM's so you should check your inboxes! I don't want anyone to feel like they are being ignored cause your feedback means a lot to me and I like to let you know individually that I appreciate every review I get!**

 **Question of the week: What's the last place you travelled to? For me it was Malmo (Sweden) and while I was there I also visited Lund (Sweden) and Copenhagen (Denmark)! I had a blast and I recommend visiting all of those place, but fair warning: pick warmer months and save up a considerable amount of money cause it's EXPENSIVE! Other than that, they are beautiful cities, people are super nice and the food is great (the variety of it is fascinating)!**

 **Songs: Mirror - Lil Wayne, Desperado - Rihanna**

* * *

 **Translations:**

 **Привет маленькие = Hello Little ones.**

 **Красотки = beauties**

 **Так что нового? = So, what's new?**


	26. CH26 - History Lesson

**POV: Rose**

 _This was much easier when Dimitri was here to give me instructions_ , I thought as I knocked my fists into the punching bag, the sound of my hits muffled by my headphones. My muscles were burning so much even lifting my arm felt like an impossible task. I was determined to keep going though. _I'm a strong, independent woman, I can do this shit_. I tried to keep my breathing in check as I moved my legs, going in for another round of quick jabs and an attempt at a kick. I didn't stop until I felt like I might collapse, bending down to prop my hands on my knees. I took a few deep, but shaky breaths before straightening up and turning around with the intention of getting some water into my system. And that's when I saw him.

"Fuck", I gasped, ripping the headphones out of my ears as my heart ran up to my throat, "You've gotta stop doing that!"

Dimitri's lips pulled into a smirk as he commented: "But you make it so easy."

I groaned and continued towards the bench, grabbing a bottle while Dimitri pushed himself away from the door and neared me. He eyed my new phone when I put it down, making me speak up: "Don't get panicky, I can't use it to contact anyone except for you and Mr. _I borrowed you_."

"I know", he shot, pursing his lips slightly, "Adrian told me."

While I chugged down my water I became aware of how close he stood and how pointedly he watched me. We'd had little one-on-one time since our fall out and barely exchanged a word when forced to occupy the same space. I didn't know what his excuse for avoiding me was, but I knew I was... well, silently pissed at him. However, with him casually standing there, I felt pressured to say something. So, naturally, I went with sass.

"So, how long were you gawking at me like a creep in that corner."

"Not long", he replied calmly, ignoring my attempts at an insult, "Long enough to notice you're improving."

"Yeah? Does that mean I'm ready to punch people instead of inanimate objects now?", I prompted as he glanced somewhere behind me before speaking again.

"I don't know. Let's find out."

"Let's—, what?", I peeped out, twirling on my heel as he walked around me and grabbed a thick mat which he pulled closer to the center of the room.

"Come help me", he said as he pointed at the two remaining mats.

We placed the mats close together forming a small square Dimitri was quick to climb on. He motioned me to join him and then took a stance he had showed me the first time he was teaching me how to fight. I tried to mimic him the best I could, focusing on his instructions: "Use what you've learned to try to attack me. Remember to keep your face shielded and watch your footwork."

"Alright, just take it easy on me."

"Sure thing, Rose", he mumbled, but there was something in his eyes that was a good enough tell he had no intentions of doing so.

I was proven right in my interpretation pretty fast. He let me attempt a few punches before effortlessly blocking them. Then he'd remind me of the things he warned me to keep on my mind, either by tapping the side of my head when I lowered my guard or knocking me on my ass with a measured sweep of my legs when I stayed idle for too long. Over and over. Until I lost it and decided I was done playing by _his_ rules. Maybe Dimitri and Adrian knew a lot about me, but I was sure they had no idea how much trouble I used to repeatedly get into at school. I wouldn't say I ran around throwing punches at anyone and everyone that pissed me off, but I knew other ways of fighting. And those ways were dirty.

I pushed myself to move faster, altering between punching and scratching Dimitri's arms which sure as hell got him to shake out of his ease. I stopped retreating when he tried to reach my head and rather than duck or jerk back, I let him strike, knowing he'd start backing down if he thought his hits were becoming too strong. I couldn't keep that up for too long though, less because I couldn't take the pain and more so because I was unwilling to let him smack me without getting something in return. I still didn't adjust my position when his warnings came, but started retaliating by kicking his shin or pounding his arm with my elbow. Whenever he tried to knock me down, I'd latch onto him until he practically had to shake me off. I knew there was no way I was going to wear him down, but I was satisfied to at least make him work up a sweat and pant a little. Finally, when he attempted to kick my feet from underneath me one last time, I gripped the front of his shirt in order to maintain balance for as long as I could. I used the decline of our proximity and the temporary leverage to curl my leg around his. Despite the odds, I made him lose his balance. I landed on the mat again, but this time he followed me down. As soon as I managed to catch my breath I kicked up, but even in the state of disbelief I'd put him in with my actions, he managed to avoid his private parts getting kneed. We wrestled for a few moments, but in the end I winded up pinned down with him hovering above me.

"What was that?", he questioned as I stared up at him with defiance.

"That. Is what you get. When you mess with me, Comrade", I puffed out, my chest bumping into his as we both tried to catch our breaths.

"Scratching? Really?"

"It's effective", I pointed out, trying to get out of his hold, but utterly failing.

"Not when you can't move", he chuckled, glancing up at where his fingers held my wrists before he slid down slightly, pressing my legs into the mat until I was completely immobilized.

I was certain his intention was to show me I was beyond defeated, but his actions turned out to have a major flaw. He came within inches of my lips which, if nothing, immediately shut me the hell up. _Do NOT kiss him_ , I warned myself as his eyes found mine again and his smile wavered. I couldn't allow myself to make the same mistakes. No, if he wanted us to go down that road again, he was going to have to be the one to make the first move for once. _Which will never happen_ , I almost screamed, but then noticed his gaze dropping from my eyes to my lips. And in that one gesture, I saw he was more than thinking about it.

 _He'll chicken out_ , I rationalized as our eyes met again. Only, he didn't. In a blink he closed the gap between us and his grip on my wrists loosened. His fingers soon slipped down my arms and dug into my hair as I parted my lips for him and felt heat spreading over my body when his tongue rolled between them. I couldn't really describe what Dimitri tasted like, but I could sure as hell say he was more than intoxicating. Every time we'd kissed so far I was stuck with the taste of his lips for hours after they were gone. It haunted me, even more than his strong grip and the sounds that escaped him the longer we remained glued together.

His reaction to me encouraged me, even though I was set on letting him take the lead earlier. With my hands now free I reached up, gripping his neck as our kiss deepened. His leg moved in between mine bringing him closer to me, every inch of our bodies touching. One of his hands untangled from my hair and slid down my body, his fingers sneaking onto the bare skin left between my tights and my shirt. For a moment, I was convinced he was going to halt his progress, but for a change I was proven wrong when he pushed my shirt up, his fingers splaying over my stomach. He set fire to every segment of my skin he touched, making me fight for air when his fingers found their way under the band of my sports bra. And then, out of the blue, both his touch and lips vanished.

"Дерьмо!", he spat out as I blinked up in confusion, realizing he'd managed to not only already get off me, but off the mats too, "Чертов идиот!"

He ran his hand over his mouth, almost as if he was trying to erase what had happened. He wouldn't even look at me as I unsteadily stood up and pushed myself to speak: "You do know I still don't speak Russian, right?"

"Why did you do that?", he muttered, making it unclear whether he was talking to himself or me.

Still I felt the need to defend myself just in case: "Hey, you kissed me."

"I—", he started, peering over at me as he ran his hand through his disheveled hair, "I know. It was a mistake. It won't happen again."

"Oh really? So what, I don't get a say in it?"

"No", he replied before he headed towards the door.

"Why the fuck not?", I exclaimed following him until he stopped and turned around to glare at me.

"Because your say doesn't matter. I'm not here to be your—, I'm here to protect you. That's all there is to _this_."

"Protect me? Really?"

"Yes. Really."

"And what if I don't want your protection?"

"That doesn't matter either. I made a deal with your father and I intend to honor it", he said and in that moment I boiled over.

"A deal, what kind of a deal?", I asked, my voice raising to a shout as fast as his voice reduced to a low and steady sound.

"The kind that means me being your guardian is not up for discussion."

"Oh, well isn't that fantastic? I just love it when people think they can make decisions for me. I'm not a child Dimitri. And _you_ are not my friend or father or anything really, so why don't you just back the hell off."

"Exactly my plan", he grumbled before he continued on his way to the door.

"Great. Let's just avoid each other indefinitely", I exploded, my voice echoing through the gym even after he disappeared, "Good luck being my guardian from the other side of the estate asshole!"

 **POV: Adrian**

It was near lunchtime and I was past the point of wanting to go home. I glanced down the docks, taking one more drag from my cigarette before grounding it and heading inside the hangar. Wilket and McCall were leaning against an old, metal table that was placed near the entrance, immersed in conversation. McCall repeatedly peered at the short, bulky looking guy who nervously raced around the pyramids of crates, scanning them before sticking his nose into the papers attached to the clipboard he was holding.

"Is there a problem?", I voiced when I reached them, all of us turning towards the man who, in that moment, looked like he had reached an epiphany.

"Yo, James", he shouted, waving at Wilket excitedly, "Over here."

"Finally", McCall mumbled while the jumpy guy motioned a few of the other workers over.

"Open 'em up", Wilket instructed after which the men picked up crowbars.

As the workers pried open the crates a cloud of dust and styrofoam filled the air making us all cough. Wilket and McCall backed away, but I fought my lungs as they tried to escape my body through my mouth and neared the shipment. One of the workers produced a scalpel and started butchering the bubble wrap inside the crates before I waved him away. I grabbed the first painting I could reach and pulled it out enough to glance at it through the material it was packed in. I scanned through the paintings as everyone waited in silence and then prompted: "You stole these from other thieves?"

"Some", the bukly man said, giving the paintings an utterly disinterested glance which was enough to tell me he had no idea what kind of a goldmine he was sitting on, "Some we stole from, you know, galleries and stuff."

"Fascinating", I mumbled, dusting myself off, "Well, I'll be happy to take them off your hands. The price we've arranged still stands?"

"Plus the extra expenses—", the man started, but Wilket cut him off.

"Let's go make the arrangements and I'll make sure you get that extra cash."

Like on cue, Wilket's associate showed up with my suitcase, quickly opening it to show the money was there before offering our visibly satisfied dealer to go somewhere and count it. I noticed McCall scanning the stacks of bills in the suitcase while I turned around and headed towards the car. He caught up to me at some point, saying: "Are they really that worthless? I don't think I've ever seen you pay so little for art."

"Yeah, I know, it's sacrilege", I mumbled, peering over my shoulder to make sure we were alone, "But calling _The Storm on the Sea of Galilee_ worthless makes me want to reconsider your employment."

"The what?", he prompted as he ducked into the car, missing my appalled stare.

"Oh, just something this Rembrandt dude doodled", I scoffed to myself.

I had to admit there were certain benefits to having a chauffeur. Combining that with a long ride to home left me plenty of time to drain the percentages of my phone's battery by wrapping up all of my chores for the day. We only made one stop along the way and even then McCall was the one who went to pick up the food we'd ordered. I would've done it myself if he, just like Dimitri, hadn't suddenly become even more obsessed with my safety than usual. Not that I wasn't glad they were meticulous about their jobs, but they were becoming obnoxious. I could only imagine how much they would've lost their shit if I'd told them about the warning I'd received a few days ago. If I was being honest, getting a card emblazoned with a black hand made me want to run for the hills. And not knowing who sent it certainly made it worse.

It wasn't the first threat I'd received, but it was definitely more than effective. It kept me up at night, made me switch sleep with five minute naps that left me permanently grumpy and worn out. It was getting harder to focus and keeping my mind from getting fried out. And though I knew I should've told Dimitri about it, I was unwilling to put him in the same state as me. I needed at least one of us to function right or we'd both end up in the ground sooner than we'd like.

Speaking of Dimitri, he was nowhere in sight when I arrived home. I could take a pretty good guess as to why since I was greeted with Rose's furious expression the moment I entered the living room. She was staring at the TV which would've been quite normal if it wasn't turned off. Some heavy tune was blaring from her headphones and I found myself thinking she'd go off like a bomb once the song reached its peak. _Got it under control my ass_ , I thought as my last conversation with Dimitri about Rose played through my mind.

I didn't know if she sensed she wasn't alone or saw me from the corner of her eye, but moments later she tugged one of her earbuds down and mumbled: "I hope you didn't forget you're supposed to feed me."

"Forgetting that would imply I don't like living. And I do like it, very much", I chuckled before I gestured towards the dining room, "Your pizza awaits your Highness."

She turned the music off, dropping her phone onto the sofa before standing up and strolling past me without so much as a glimpse in my direction. _Jesus, the two of them fought like an old married couple_ , I wined to myself as I followed her. I knew it'd be pointless trying to track Dimitri down. He'd show up after he was done blowing off the steam the two of them worked up while I was gone. I did wonder just _how_ steamy it got before he put a stop to it. Judging by the sheen of sweat still lingering on Rose's chest I was sure he found it a lot harder to resist her this time.

"It has extra cheese", I announced as Rose pushed one of the boxes open and ripped away a piece, abandoning all manners and stuffing it into her mouth.

She nodded and began chewing while I went to pick up plates and napkins. It never ceased to amaze me how much food Rose could ingest, but her stress eating moments were definitely topping the charts. She was already munching on her second slice by the time I'd returned and decided I needed a different approach with her today. I placed the plates and napkins on the box and picked it up before I shot to her: "Come on, I want to show you something."

She seemed reluctant to follow when I headed out, but I guess her desire to eat won over in the end and she dragged herself after me. When we reached my office, I stepped aside and tipped my head towards the door, instructing: "Open it."

"How? It's—", she started saying, but after I quirked my eyebrow, pushed her finger into the knob. The click of the door mixed with her sharp intake of breath and a whisper: "It works for me too."

"Yeah, just don't go snooping around", I warned through a smile before kicking my way in and dumping our food on the floor.

Rose understood my intentions, dropping next to the pizza and folding her legs underneath her as I walked across the room and dragged a large, oak chest from the corner to where she sat. I settled next to her, pushing the heavy lid back and digging inside to get the old, leather albums. When I turned, she held up a fresh slice in front of me and waited until I took a bite.

"Baby pictures?", she prompted, her mood surging up as I grinned.

"It's a possibility", I tittered, opening the most worn out album and flipping it towards her, "But first, we need to take it back to basics. I present to you: Mihai and Dorothea Ivashkov."

"Your grandparents?", she questioned, studying the black and white picture with yellow stained edges.

"Great-grandparents, actually", I corrected before she distractedly offered me another bite which resulted in me mumbling until I could swallow, "They were both born and raised in Romania. Mihai came from a poor family, the kind of poor that led to all of his siblings dying young from starvation or disease. He was a stubborn guy though. A survivor. He worked like a horse his entire life and, well, I guess it paid off. He got rewarded in the best way possible — he was given a beautiful woman who loved him so much she was willing to give up her life of comfort and defy her family for him."

"Wow", Rose breathed out, running her clean hand over the picture as her eyes stuck to the wedding dress my great-grandma wore when it was taken.

"They got married in secret. Planned to run away together. But then she became pregnant with their first child, Constantin — my grandfather."

"And the cat was out of the bag?", Rose prompted with a smile.

"Yep. But, despite the odds, Dorothea's father accepted Mihai and even gave him a job. Dorothea's father was a loan shark. Working for him wasn't easy, but the pay was good and it was a great way to make various friends. Eventually, Mihai decided to do his own thing and, after a few years, formed one of the strongest mafia organizations in Romania."

"And that's how everything started."

"The shorter version", I added, flipping to the next page, "They had two more kids — Nicolae, whom you would've met at the engagement party if the old farth wasn't too lazy to get out of bed and Tatiana, whom I mentioned as dear Tati. Now keep in mind that _this_ was essentially always a family business. And what do families do best?"

"Fight", Rose chuckled, surprisingly forgetting about the food.

"Exactly. The three of them had different visions about what they wanted to do with their father's legacy and Romania became small for all of them, especially with their increasing competitors, the most important: Victor Dashkov."

"The guy you want to defeat with Ibrahims help?"

"The one. But, the focus of today's history lesson is my family. So Tati, who I might say had bigger balls than either of her brothers, decided to move to the States and start her own empire. She made powerful allies which helped spread some of her business to Russia as well. When my grandfather died from, believe or not, a heart attack, she invited his sons to join her."

I turned to the picture of my uncle, father and mother taken when my parents got engaged. My eyes automatically glued to my mother's face and Rose's apparently followed since she quietly asked: "Is that your mom?"

"Mhm", I hummed as she leaned in closer.

"She was beautiful."

"Yeah. And smart, kind and loving. She's actually one of the reasons I want to quit this business. She never wanted this life for me."

"No good mother would", Rose mumbled thoughtfully, making me smile.

I felt my throat tightening the longer I stared at my mom so I took a deep breath and looked away before continuing: "My father was very good at his work so he became Tati's second in command fast. When she _retired_ she left him in charge of everything. My uncle was a completely different story though. He was a loose cannon so he was given easier and less important tasks. He spent most of his free life in Russia where he opened a strip club which he used as main grounds for business."

"Free life?", Rose questioned, picking up on what I avoided saying quicker than I thought she would.

"At some point, when everyone got tired of cleaning up his shit, he got arrested in Romania and no one wanted to bail him out."

"They left him in jail?", she gasped, her shock proving she still didn't work out who the person we were talking about really was.

"Trust me, if you'd met him, you'd want him rotting in jail too. My father was a dick, but even he wasn't that big of a dick. Everybody hated my uncle. No one more than his son though."

"He has a son?", she prompted, but as her eyes met mine all color drained from her face and she answered her own question through a whisper, "Dimitri."

"We're cousins. The relation had to come from someone."

She became very still, getting lost in her thoughts as I flipped through about ten pages of those baby pictures she was initially excited about until I reached the ones that got her attention again. She stopped me by jabbing her finger at Ignat's face and said: "You didn't tell me anything about your other cousins."

"I was getting to it. So, uncle Rand got arrested and that meant exposure. Not just for my family, but everyone who was a part of that world. My father, _out of the goodness of his heart_ helped the rest of our cousins move to the states, but kept them off his turf. Naturally, our enemies soon followed. Not that my cousins aren't essentially enemies too."

"And why is that?"

"Well, their business didn't grow as much as Tati's which made them unhappy and greedy. See, they found themselves thinking it wasn't fair for me to inherit Tati's entire empire. They ought be entitled to it as well. And since there's more of them, they deserve more than me. Equal splits. A piece for Ion, a piece for Diana and a piece for Daniel. Not that their father didn't want some for himself too."

"But Tatiana didn't want that?"

"Fuck no. She hates their guts almost as much as I do. They are leeches."

Rose pursed her lips and took over the page turning, stopping when she ran into an old picture of McCall and me. She grinned, looking up as she commented: "You look like a baby compared to him."

"Well, he is older."

"How much older?"

"Four years older than Dimitri."

"How old is, um, Dimitri?", she asked reluctantly, probably remembering she was supposed to hate him today for some reason.

"Thirty one."

"Huh. And how old was he when he came to work for you?"

"Dimitri or McCall?"

"Both, I guess."

"McCall was around since he was fifteen. His Uncle John worked for my father. McCall's parents weren't in the picture so John took care of him. He would sometimes help John out, but it wasn't until I started recruiting my own guys that he officially started working. He was around twenty five which means Dimitri was twenty one or two. I can't remember. It was a long time ago. See this", I said as I tapped on a picture, "It was taken maybe a month after Dimitri joined us."

"Dimitri had long hair", she exclaimed, staring at the picture in shock.

"Ha, yeah", I chuckled while her jaw almost touched the floor, "Man, I forgot about that."

"You don't look very... friendly", she commented, probably because she noticed how far apart Dimitri and I stood and how grim his expression was.

"We weren't. He hated me at first."

"Why did he come to work for you then?"

"I gave him one hell of an offer", I replied nonchalantly, but knew she wouldn't let me leave it at that.

"Dimitri once told me you did a lot for him. What did he mean by that?"

"That's a tale for another time."

"What other time?", she persisted, but I shut the album and gave her a warning glance.

"The time when you talk to him about it."

She met my gaze with a hard expression, but then her features softened and she mumbled: "Not your story to tell."

"Exactly."

She seemed displeased, but still nodded in understanding. We were both silent while I returned everything to its place. I thought her lack of questions meant I'd fed her curiosity, but when I turned to face her again I saw her standing next to my desk with a thoughtful expression. I was about to encourage her to speak when she made the decision on her own, prompting: "This Victor guy, why is he such a threat to you?"

I pondered on my words before I replied: "Because he wants me dead."

"Why?"

"Because I'm his biggest competitor."

"But, if you withdrew from the business—", she started, naturally turning to what seemed like pure logic.

"That's not the only reason he wants me dead. I told you my family's beef with him started long ago. Dashkovs and Ivashkovs were always butting heads. Only, for a long time, they'd stick to fucking up deals for one another or killing a few of each others lackies. However, when Victor tried to move here my father went one step further and got one of his associates, a guy named Samuel, to breathe down Victor's neck until he gave up on his plans. Only things took a different direction than my father originally planned and Victor almost winded up sharing a prison cell with my uncle. And Victor... well he tends to hold a grudge. He wanted to make us pay and made the mistake of putting his brother Robert in charge of that retribution. I don't know if he was unaware of how crazy his brother was or if he just didn't give a shit, but—."

"But what?", Rose pushed when my voice trailed off, moving closer to me.

"But that's what led to my mom being shot down on her own lawn."

"She didn't have anyone protecting her?"

"No, we didn't have bodyguards back then. Attacking someone in their home—, nobody did that. And if they were one minute late, I would've been dead too."

"Wait, you were close by when it happened?"

"I was inside the house. I heard it happen. And then I watched her die."

"T-that's horrible", she stammered, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah", I mumbled, stiffening at her touch reflexively, "Anyway, after that the initial small feuds turned into bloodshed. Both sides lost a lot of people: family, friends, employees. Robert and my father were among the casualties. There was no stopping it, there is still no stopping it. Not until one side's completely wiped off the face of the earth. However, Victor clearly doesn't view most of my cousins as a threat, especially since they'd welcome me biting the dust almost as much as him. That only leaves Tati, who I'm sure he foolishly thinks will be a piece of cake to deal with once he's done with me."

"And he has no family?"

"He has a daughter who's around your age. Her name's Natalie, but I like to call her a raging, psychopathic nightmare."

"That's a lot to process, you know", Rose breathed out, leaning against my desk exhaustedly.

"You wanted to be all in. I promised to tell you what you were getting into. But, to simplify it, imagine us playing dodgeball. Tatiana, Dimitri, your father and I are on one team. Victor, Natalie and whoever Victor got to join his fight are on the other."

"And you have to kill all of them?"

"Not necessarily. Their partners will flee if they realize the ship is sinking. Cut off the head of the snake and all that."

"So, we're going snake hunting?", she prompted as a smile spread over her lips.

"Yes Little Renegade, we are indeed."

* * *

 **Hey everyone! Sooo I was really looking forward to posting this chapter cause it covers a lot of the background of this story (that I've spent plenty of time developing)! I hope you enjoyed this chapter despite Dimitri being a bitch hahaha! As always let me know your thoughts via PMs or reviews!**

 **Question of the week: What movie did you watch the most times (I literally didn't know how to phrase this - NEVER mix vodka and beer!)? If I put aside all Harry Potter movies that I know by heart, it's The Fifth Element (I have no idea why but I absolutely freaking love that one)!**

 **Songs: Move Over - Janis Joplin, Cut The Cord - Shinedown**

* * *

 **Translations:**

 **Дерьмо!** **\- Shit!**

 **Чертов идиот! - Fucking idiot!**


	27. CH27 - Make The Right Choice

**POV: Dimitri**

I had to fix things with Rose. She was right to point out protecting her and keeping my distance couldn't go hand in hand. I knew putting my personal feelings aside would be the way to go about it. I also knew she wasn't going to make it easy. I tried convincing myself she was just bored and looking for a way to pass the time. That she wanted to fulfill her needs and I was convenient. I came up with million excuses, but all of them turned to smoke every time her words from the night we danced rang through my head. _Is that why you think I kissed you_? She must have known how that question would affect me. She hid behind bravado and feistiness, shot out jokes like there wasn't a single thing she took seriously, but if you focused on what was behind, the hints in between, you could find the true meaning of her words, find what was hidden in her heart or mind.

"Okay, you have to cut it the fuck out", Adrian suddenly shouted, making me jerk out of my thoughts.

"You don't have to yell. Last I checked, my hearing is just fine."

"Apparently not", he retorted, plopping his hands on the free space left between the guns lying on the desk, "I asked you a question. Three times."

"I'm sorry I was—."

"Thinking about a certain sassy brunette? Yeah, don't give me that brow lift. You were practically see-through. Your expression went from _I'm pissed_ to _I'm worried_ to _I'm horny_ and then what horrifyingly looked like _I'm in love_."

"Adrian—."

"Don't Adrian me. I told you to deal with that shit! Under different circumstance, I'd probably thoroughly enjoy watching you torture yourself over whether you should fuck, marry or kill her, but we're LITERALLY preparing weapons meant to take a lot of lives in the near future so can you please, for the love of everything, _focus_!"

"Sorry. What did you try to ask me?"

Adrian opened his mouth, but then evidently changed his mind about what he was going to say. He pushed himself away from the desk, his expression shifting to determined when he announced: "I wasn't going to do this because it's a real asshole move, but I'm not seeing many options here so... forget about the guns. I have a new assignment for you."

"What assignment?", I asked carefully as he waved towards the door.

"Go talk to Rose and don't come back until you either banged it out or fought it out. You two will get on the same page, whichever page that is. Go."

"Is that an order?", I questioned, even though he made it clear it was.

"Do I look like a couples counselor? Yes, it's a freaking order. Start walking."

I sharply nodded and turned on my heel, keeping my back straight as I walked out. However, the moment I could no longer feel Adrian's eyes on me, my shoulders hunched which probably made me look like a blown out ballon. It was ridiculous that I felt like I was being sent to my execution when I was simply going to have a talk with a woman. Though it certainly didn't help that this woman had the ability to defeat me without even laying a hand on me, the ability I was beginning to think she was well aware of.

For a change, I actually hoped to have difficulty finding her, but naturally this had to be the one time I ran into her almost immediately. Just as I headed upstairs I saw her thumping through the hallway towards her room. She had her headphones stuck in her ears again, listening to some upbeat music. The messy bun at the top of her head bounced as she nodded to the rhythm, the loose strands that curled around her face dancing along. She was wearing Adrian's T-shirt again, but this time she tied one of its edges into a knot to make it fit her better. Below she had those damn black tights that were begging me to sin each time I saw them on her and a pair of thick, fluffy socks. She was carrying a plastic basket filled with clothes with one hand, propping it on her hip to make it easier to hold. Her phone rested on the neatly folded, but impressively large pile.

I thought she wouldn't notice me. She usually didn't. But the moment I placed my foot on the first step, her head turned and she peered at me. Her pace slowed, but she chose to ignore me, continuing on her way while I climbed up after her. By the time I reached her room, the basket was on the bed and her phone was nowhere to be seen. I figured that was my cue to speak despite the fact her back was turned to me. I cleared my throat and prompted: "I was hoping we could talk."

She didn't acknowledge my words and refused to look at me as she picked up parts of the pile and started packing her clothes into the cupboard. _She's mad_. _How could she not be_? The last time we were alone in the room I kissed her and then blew her off. I apparently made it a habit of teasing her without meaning to. I waited for a few seconds before I stepped into her path making her halt. Her eyes fixed on my chest and she stayed wordless as I tried to tempt her into speaking: "I know things have been awkward between us lately and I want to make them right."

I purposefully used _lately_ thinking it'd cause her to retort with something typical for her like _you mean always_ , but she remained mute. Actually, she completely abandoned her usual ways going for the kind of approach more common for me. I guess she had decided to show me how unnerving it could be when you were met with silence. And she baited me right into playing a new role. _Her role_.

"You can't ignore me forever Rose. If I'm going to be your guardian, we're going to have to talk to each other eventually."

With almost all of her clothes packed she grabbed the basket and flipped it over, spilling the remnants of its contents on the bed before she barely audibly said: "If."

"Excuse me?"

"If", she repeated, letting her hair loose, "That's the key word, isn't it?"

"What's that supposed to mean?", I questioned, watching her curls tumble down her back before she proceeded to untie the knot on her T-shirt.

"It means you're as big of a fool as my father if you think you get to make that decision for me", she replied, leaning on the bed while she lifted her leg and rolled her sock off, "Now, Ibrahim doesn't know me at all, not that you really do either, but at least it gives him some resemblance of an excuse for his actions. He hasn't had a chance to learn I'm not a damsel in distress. I don't need guardians or protectors. I can fight my own battles."

"Rose, I know you're—", I started, but finally exploded when she still didn't turn to face me, "Will you please stop that? I'd prefer to have this conversation face to face."

"And I'd prefer not to have this conversation at all, but I'm still participating", she calmly replied, grabbing the hem of her shirt and pulling it up.

I was unprepared for her actions so I caught a glimpse of her back before managing to look away. _Bare back... she wasn't wearing a bra_. I heard the soft thud of the shirt hitting the ground and then she spoke again: "We don't always get what we want. You taught me that, better than anyone. Clearly you've made it your life's mission to deny me everything."

"That's not true", I argued, sneaking a peek at her to realize she had indulge my request to face me and also, _thankfully_ , placed her bra on.

"No?", she exclaimed, carelessly throwing on a button up while I fixed my eyes above her head to avoid looking at her uncovered chest, "Name one time you did something I wanted without being told to do it by Adrian."

"I—", I started, but my voice trailed off fast.

She readily pounced upon my silence, becoming angry enough to almost rip up her tights when she proceeded to switch them with jeans. Her tone turned to one more becoming of her as she spat out: "See, you can't."

I should've had better control of myself, should've thought about what my words would lead to before I said them, but I found myself desperate to prove her wrong so I shot: "Fine. Ask for something and I'll do it. Adrian isn't here, it's just us."

"Fine", she said, her eyes sparking up as she challengingly stared at me, "Kiss me."

I was on the brink of protesting before I realized that was exactly what she was counting on. I came here planning to make it clear I would do everything to be on good behavior from this day forward, but my initial assumptions were spot on. She indeed wasn't going to make it easy for me. Actually, she had clearly intended to make it impossible. And though one would think her actions would cause me to be more stubborn about carrying out my decision, they only destroyed my efforts. Destroyed them because I winded up doing the exact opposite of what I was supposed to. I walked up to her and sunk my hands into her hair, pulling her lips to mine. I kissed her briefly, but knew she'd feel my desire, hunger, anger, confliction and everything else that lurked inside of me through that kiss.

When I pulled away, she inhaled unsteadily and I found myself whispering: "You think I don't deny myself what I want too? I do Rose. I do it all the time."

"W-why?", she breathed out as I fought to let go of her.

"Because my desire is far less important than my duty", I replied before my hands dropped and I headed out.

She didn't attempt to stop me and I didn't look back. My heart hammered against my chest as I walked away. _This is your life, don't waste it living it any differently than you want to_ , Adrian had said. Now, I finally thought of a reply to his words. _If only it was that simple_.

 **POV: Rose**

I heard his growling echo through the woods as I skipped over a fallen tree trunk. I knew I was close, but the greenery was still obstructing my view of him. Each angry cry he let out was followed by a sharp whiz and a hollow tap. I moved past the bushes left in my path just in time to see a knife digging into the bark of one of the trees. I stopped dead in my tracks as he leaned down and grabbed another knife from the shrinking pile left on his duster that was spread over the grass. This time when he threw the knife he didn't make a sound which was how I knew he became aware of my presence. Two more whizes and taps followed before he asked: "What do you want Rose?"

 _To fuck you senseless_ , I thought but instead announced: "To talk to you."

"So talk", he mumbled, reaching down again as I moved forward.

"Face to face, preferably", I repeated something similar to what he'd said to me earlier, seeing his body go rigid while his fingers lingered over the only knife left unused.

After a moment, he retracted his hand and turned around, giving me a better look at his appearances. His hair was a mess, a few strands closer to his face glistening from the sweat he'd worked up. His eyes that usually seemed warm now looked burning. His jaw was clenched, every muscle on his face, neck and shoulders as tight as a string. I noticed he was trying to get his breathing under control so I pointed at his duster and moved to sit down. He did the same, only partially turning towards me as I mumbled: "I should apologize."

"For?"

"For making you kiss me."

"You didn't make me do anything", he pointed out, his eyes fixing mine, "I chose to do what I did."

"Despite your duty?", I challenged, seeing his expression turn slightly bitter.

"Yes."

I took a few steadying breaths before I pushed myself to say: "Look, I know you're trying to... well, actually, I don't know what you're trying to do, but I have to know I'm not making things up here. Tell me I'm not processing your words and actions differently than you intend them."

"I can't tell you that because I can't read your mind."

"Right, well, let me clue you in then. I think you want to kiss me. I think you want to do more than just kiss me. You want me and the only thing that's holding you back is some weird soldier logic you have going on in your head", I babbled out while Dimitri patiently watched me.

"You're right", he said, making my heart leap as I fought not to scream _hallelujah_ at the top of my lungs.

I didn't know why I craved his confirmation so much. Maybe I wanted to prove to myself I wasn't some naive, lovesick girl. Or that I had the right to act like a major bitch until he admitted the truth. Maybe I simply needed this tension of unspoken desires to disappear so I could stop thinking and dreaming about this frustrating man. And, if I was being honest, I hoped that if I knew I could have him I'd stop wanting him so much. Though, in reality, being one step away from pushing past the boundaries made me ecstatic. I tried to patiently wait for him to continue, but when I realized he had no intentions of elaborating I exclaimed: "What, that's it? That's all you're going to say?"

"What else should I say Rose? That my resistance is wearing so thin even looking at you is turning me on? That with each kiss I'm finding it harder to stop? That I want nothing more than to say fuck it to my job, to your father, to everything and go ahead and take you?"

"Yes, I want you to say all of those things", I burst, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach for the sake of finishing this conversation.

"Well, I said them. But I can't—."

"Don't. Why does everything have to be one way or the other? No compromise? Why can't you do your job and—?", I paused waving at myself, "What, you think you'll protect me less if you're sleeping with me? What is it?"

"Compromise leads to distractions", he snapped, his expression turning hard.

"Oh, so is this the focused you?", I pressed, knowing I'd cornered him.

His eyes fell to the ground. _I won_. It wasn't about winning though. It was about showing him how much he was overthinking something that was way simpler than he wanted to admit. Or at least I thought it was.

"No", he muttered, suddenly propping himself like he was about to stand up.

 _Oh no you don't_ , I thought as my hand moved on its own, _no running away this time_. My fingers closed over the handle of the knife left lying next to me before I twirled it around, surprised when I didn't nick myself. I hooked my leg around Dimitri's, giving myself leverage and time to straddle him before he could move. He was visibly shocked by my actions, even more so when I moved the knife to his neck. I didn't touch his skin yet, but my threat was more than clear. I thought for a second he might try to disarm me, push me or maybe even throw me off him, but he remained perfectly still, his eyes lingering on my hand and the blade tucked in it before they slowly climbed up to mine.

"What are you doing?", he asked too calm for the situation he found himself in.

"Getting your attention."

"Rose—", he tried, but I was done listening.

"Shut up", I growled, pushing the tip of the knife into his neck, "Just shut the fuck up. I've had it with you. This game of hot and cold. Running away whenever you don't like what you see or hear or feel. Your outbursts and your duty comes first crap. It ends. It ends now!"

He opened his mouth to speak, but I pressed the blade against his skin enough to make it redden. I fixed his eyes angrily and pushed through gritted teeth: "I didn't say I was done."

I knew Dimitri could get a little... well, _wild_. I was also aware of the fact that he had a tendency of recklessly putting himself in harm's way from time to time. However, I didn't think he was crazy enough to actually expose his neck to me further, defiantly meeting the knife until it began cutting his skin. My first reflex was to pull back. I wanted to scare him into submission, not hurt him. But pulling back would make me into something I wasn't. Maybe not a damsel in distress, but surely someone who didn't have the stomach for the things he considered a part of a regular Monday. So I stayed where I was and did my best to finish my furious speech with as much rebelliousness as I could muster.

"I may want you... a lot, but don't _ever_ make the mistake of assuming I _need_ you. You're _not_ going to use this protection bullshit as an excuse. Actually, no more excuses. Make up your damn mind. Do you want this?", I asked, rolling my hips to underline my question, "Or not?"

Time seemed to stand still as we held each other's gaze, both of us barely breathing. I could almost see the cogs in his head turning, the battle between the angel and the demon on his shoulders, the fight of right and wrong, lust and reason. Then his hand moved up and his fingers curled over mine, trying to pry them open. I let him succeed in his intentions, dropping the knife into his hand and watching him turn it to point it at me. His eyes seemed to darken as he touched the side of my neck with the blade. I held my breath in, but it escaped me when he slowly dragged the weapon over my neck, down to my collar bone and then under the top button of my shirt.

"I made up my mind", he said slowly, his husky voice making me feel that familiar tingle between my legs.

He fixed on my chest before he jerked the tip of the blade up, cutting the thread that held the button in place. A shiver made its way down my spine as he moved to the next one, pausing before clipping it as well. It seemed like a small eternity passed by the time he rid me of the last button, his purposeful lingering making the tension within me skyrocket. Finally, when there was nothing left to hold my shirt together he looked up at me again, the finality in his voice bringing me close to melting away right there in his lap as he added: "I want you."

As soon as he moved his armed hand away I pounced on him. I caught his lip between mine and wouldn't let go of it until I heard more than felt the blade sliding up one of my legs. It stopped at the very top of my inner thigh which soon made me realize what he was planning to do next.

"Don't you dare mess up my more of my clothes", I warned though I felt a rush of heat at the mere thought of him tarnishing them to get to me.

"Fuck your clothes", he growled before he dug the knife into the seam of my jeans.

He ripped the material fast, throwing the knife away when he was satisfied with his accomplishment. His hands finished the rest of the work, leaving so little behind I felt like I was wearing long socks. His fingers brushed over my panties wasting no time to move them out of the way and finally give himself access to his destination. He skipped the teasing and I was glad. We'd been _teasing_ each other for too long. He pushed two digits into me as I attacked his lips again. He pumped them, twisting and moving them in way that had me already losing my breath. I impatiently unbuckled his pants and unzipped them, trying to push them down even though pure logic indicated it was impossible with him sitting on the ground and me sitting on top of him. However, he was _kind_ enough to help me out, by lifting us both up slightly, his fingers thrusting into me even deeper in the process. I could barely keep my mind focused on the simple task I had on it prior to his movements, but I somehow managed. I grabbed his shaft and imitated the rhythm he'd created with his deft fingers, hearing a rumble erupt from his chest. His pace quickened in a way that made me have to remind myself to keep up. I was failing miserably.

There were many things I should've stopped to think about, like the fact that half of our bodies were splayed over the grass and dirt since his duster somehow seemed to have become miniature all of a sudden. Or the fact that one of the guards could stumble upon us. However, when Dimitri's rumble turned into a full-blown groan against my lips I didn't give a flying fuck about any of it. I was mad with desire. I wanted him inside of me and he clearly wanted that just as soon as I did.

He was quick to ruin another piece of my clothing, abandoning my pleasuring to hook his fingers around the strap of my panties. I was shocked that it took one yank for them to be gone. _Either I need a better quality underwear or this man is insanely strong_. Probably the latter since he effortlessly picked me up with the use of just one of his arms while his other moved in between us. I was so ready for him, I wasn't even surprised when he slipped into me and filled me up without breaking a sweat. What did surprise me was how proportionate to his height he was down there. Not that I didn't sort of notice it before, but feeling it was on an entirely different level.

When he sunk into me my head fell back and he fully used that to his advantage. After a small pause in which both of us tried to wrap our minds around the fact that this was actually happening and sighed in relief that came with the disappearance of the last bit of space between us, he was on the move. He left open mouth kisses on my neck and chest and then buried his face into my breasts. I dug my knees into the cool leather beneath and pushed myself up, tumbling down with another gasp as I felt him slide back into me. I unclasped my bra, knowing that was probably the only way to save it from this maniac who was intended to leave me with nothing to wear. He groaned against my skin in appreciation, his mouth instantly moving to suck one of my hardened nipples into it. I bit my lower lip and grabbed onto both of his shoulders, rolling my hips slowly as he mimicked the motion with my nipple between his teeth. His hands grabbed my ass, forcing me back on him every time I leveraged myself up.

I tried to develop some resemblance of a pace, but Dimitri was too _dominant_. He wanted to dictate every movement, he wanted to keep pleasuring me on every weak spot he discovered with incredible speed, he wanted everything, all of me. And for the first time in my life, not only did I not mind that, but actually welcomed it. So, once he grew tired of trying to get me to do as he wished, he tightened his hold on me and lifted me up, practically tossing me on the ground before rolling on top of me. I wanted all of him too and I wanted him hard and rough. When he positioned himself at my entrance again I quickly pushed out: "Give me everything you got Comrade."

He obliged. And then some. At some point I thought we were going to somehow fall through the ground because he was fucking me into it so hard either that was going to happen or he was going to break me into pieces. It was at that point that my moaning echoed through the woods so loudly I was certain everyone back at the house could hear it. Not that Dimitri was far behind on that departement, though every groan that left his lips had me cranking up the volume, turned on beyond reason from every sound he made. My legs were hooked around him, my arms trapped underneath his, my whole body at his disposal and he kept ravaging it in any way he could.

Sex with men before Dimitri was... _regular_ : teasing and warming up, getting to it, excitement gradually building and then usually, reaching the climax. There weren't many of them. Actually there were only two and neither of them possessed his stamina which, surprisingly, wasn't even the important thing here. It was about the fact that, with him, I felt like I skipped everything and just went straight to that one step away from climax. It was like I was standing on that wonderful edge, waiting to take the final leap, but putting it off because of how good it felt to be in-between. But I couldn't put it off forever. He couldn't either. _Crash and burn_ — that was what it felt like. Like my whole world was consumed by fire and that edge of the cliff was a long way from the ground, but when I finally slammed down I was gone.

Dimitri collapsed onto me, but fell oddly low since the giant could cover me whole and still have more of his body to throw around. He pushed his face into my breasts as something wet slipped down my knee. And then it hit me. _Thank God he had enough brain function to think of something I'd completely forgotten about_. It took us a while to catch our breaths. When it finally happened he almost took mine away again once he glanced up at me. The look in his eyes, it was unlike any I'd seen. It was hard to describe, but it was an almost boyish grin that made him seem years younger. The kind of expression that had me wondering how many sides of him I had yet to discover or maybe even bring out. I smiled at him and blurted: "See, it's so much better when you compromise."

A short laugh escaped him before a small frown began to creep up to his face. _And there goes the carefree Dimitri_. I was already preparing myself for something like _this was a mistake_ , but when he rolled off me and sat up he simply said: "We should go before everyone thinks we got kidnapped again."

He sounded normal, but I held back on feeling too relieved. Knowing him, this was probably not going to end well. Still, I tried to keep the mood light as I chuckled: "That's easy for you to say. I'm naked."

"Well, get dr—", he started as he stood up and pulled his pants on, but then his eyes traveled over the rags he'd turned my clothes into and a faint blush crept up his cheeks.

I pushed myself to my feet, grabbing his duster and shaking it until most of the grass and dirt fell off. I meet his amused gaze as I pulled it on, wrapping it all the way around me while I exclaimed: "Problem solved."

"So you're just going to take it without asking?"

"No, I'll trade you for it", I replied with a playful smile, tossing what was left of my panties at him, "You can keep these."

"What could I possible need these for?", he prompted, his eyebrow quirking as his lips moved to mimic mine.

"I don't know. Throw them away. Hang them in your room as a trophy. Sniff them if you're feeling extra pervy."

He shook his head and helped me collect the rest of our stuff, staying silent as we walked towards the house. It seemed like he was about to speak a few times, but it wasn't until we snuck inside and almost reached my room that he finally said: "I don't know if it's better."

"Huh?", I prompted as I tried to rub off a grass stain from my hand.

"Compromising. I don't know if it's better. It's definitely easier, but—."

"Let me guess, it can never happen again?", I cut in, feeling my heart sink.

"That's not what I was going to say", he protested, scanning our surroundings before he moved closer to me, "But if I'm going to do it, so will you."

"Fine", I shrugged, but then he pushed me into the wall behind me and brought his lips inches away from mine.

"You will accept me as your guardian", he whispered, brushing his thumb over my lips, "Or I won't compromise again."

"O-okay", I stammered, hating myself for feeling so weak under his touch.

"Okay what?", he asked, now so close to kissing me I felt dizzy.

"Okay, I accept it. You're my guardian."

"Good", he mumbled before he closed the distance between us.

* * *

 **Long AN ahead (I apologize in advance):**

 **I know, I know, I'm late! SORRY! Yesterday was crazy busy cause I had some important family stuff, but the update is HERE! And I hope all the steam was enough to make up for the delay! Thank you to everyone who's reached out to me yesterday through PMs and reviews to check on me! I'm doing okay and I'm sorry for worrying you guys! :D Sooooooo, the first Romitri lemon is finally here ;) Hope it was satisfying! This was pretty much an all Romitri chapter and I'm dying to see what you guys think! Did I do them justice? Do you think this is it or is there going to be more trouble between them up ahead? Let me know what you think though PMs and reviews!**

 **Now, I saw a guest reviewer asking me about the length of this story and I thought I should fill y'all in on it! It's gonna be about 50 chapter + epilogue long so yeahhhhh I have a shit-ton of writing to do hahahaha! I know exactly what's gonna happen in each chapter and I have some scenes written, but currently I have only 4 full unposted chapters written which is worrying me a bit since I have exams in Jun (the whole month) and I have no idea if I'm gonna be able to produce more chapters until they are over! But with four written chapters, you can count on four more weeks of regular updates (unless something apocalyptic happens) and I'll do my best to finish at least two more in the meantime so I don't break schedule too much when exams start pilling on my head!**

 **Question of the week: What is your favourite uncanon VA ship? Before I give you my answer, I have to confess I decided to ask this cause I'm testing the waters for a story I might have in store for the future (actually I do have it in store and it's already over 200 pages long, but I'm a chickenshit and I'm still afraid of the very idea of posting it)! For me it's *prepare yourself*… Dimitri and Adrian (UNDER THE CONDITION THAT THEY ARE NOT IN ANY WAY RELATED - not even GoT could get me to ship incest blahhh)! As you can tell, I love their dynamic either way and I love them in any kind of a relationship, but if you take away their bloodties (which we found out about at the end of BL btw) they make a pretty interesting couple!**

 **Bonus question: What are your thoughts on my ship (be honest, but nice about it please!)?**

 **Songs: American Woman - The Guess Who, Animal - xoV**

 **XOXO T!**


	28. CH28 - Movie night

**POV: Adrian**

Sometimes I wondered what my life would be like if everything I'd planned worked out. I didn't allow myself to do it often, mostly because I didn't want to get carried away with wishful thinking. I was almost convinced I wouldn't make it that far, despite my best efforts. I never said it out loud. Discouraging the people who fought with me would be a bad idea. Still, as I glanced over the aisle at Dimitri who was studying a bag of chips like it was science, I couldn't help picturing us as normal people. The kind of people who went grocery shopping without guns hidden beneath their clothes. The people who had nine to five jobs they could leave behind when they went home. And led conversations about things that weren't a hundred and ten percent illegal. Two men with some sort of a future, a chance at happiness and family.

"Do you know how many chemicals are in these things?", Dimitri prompted, glancing up at me with a worried frown.

His expression alone was enough to make me burst into laughter: "Is that your biggest worry? Chemicals in snacks?"

"No, but these are basically toxic", he replied, lifting the bag as I rounded the aisle and grabbed it, throwing it into the basket.

"Feel free to head over to the fruit section for your snacks then Dr. Oz."

He grumbled something into his chin, but followed me as I turned to the shelfs with popcorn, taking a couple of different flavours to add to the pile. I felt his eyes on me for some time before he finally prompted: "You're in a good mood."

"You sound surprised", I chuckled, rolling my eyes at him.

"Not surprised", he corrected, picking up a few water bottles while I scanned through the pops, trying to decide on which to take, "Just interested in what brought it on."

"Do I need a reason?", I exclaimed, but when I was met with silence continued, "Fine. Maybe it's 'cause I'm not listening to you and Rose fighting anymore? I don't know what happened, but I'm tremendously pleased with the result. It's nice, having some peace and quiet in my home. Also, you being back to your usual self is a hell of a bonus. Well, almost back. I can see you're still tiptoeing your way around Rose, but I'll take what I can get."

"I'm not tiptoeing, I'm easing into it", he mumbled absentmindedly, giving me a perfect opportunity to mess with him.

"We're calling her _it_ now?", I exclaimed, grinning tauntingly while heat rushed to his face, "Are you taking your time, easing into _it_ real slow?"

"That's not—, don't be an asshole."

"You know what's funny?", I prompted, sauntering down the aisle when my eyes fixed on the large pharmacy sign at the back of the store, "I've seen how you act around women, all tough and manly, but when I breach the topic of sex you get as shy as a good little catholic girl."

"Did it ever cross your mind that we're not all as brazen as you?", he shot, but before our conversation could continue my phone rang.

I lifted my finger in the _hold that thought_ gesture and dug the screaming thing out of my pocket. I flipped it over and instantly felt cold sweat washing over me when my eyes ran over the number on the screen. I ripped a short list Rose had wrote for me from my jacket and handed the crumbled piece of paper to Dimitri mumbling: "Rose asked for some stuff."

Dimitri's eyes were glued to my phone as well before I looked up, but then they slowly met mine and he said: "I'll pick them up. Go take care of that."

I left him knowing I'd come back by the time he was done picking up supplies. Only, as I rushed towards the street bathed in the glimmering colors of twilight, every step that increased the distance between us seemed heavier. I felt like I was walking out of a dream, one I'd rather stay in forever despite knowing it was an illusion. Like I was given a potent drug and instantly became addicted to it. It was an odd feeling and I tried rationalizing it by the tension my impending call brought on. It was the news I was waiting to hear that had me feeling anxious, not parting from Dimitri.

"Ivashkov", I announced as the glass door of the store ease to close behind me.

"How's my daughter?"

"Healthy, happy and safe", I reassured, hearing Ibrahim hum on the other end of the line, "But I assume that's not the _only_ reason you called."

"No, it's not. I wanted to let you know I'm ready."

"Ready?", I prompted, noticing my hands were shaking as I lit a cigarette.

"Ready to go after Victor. Should I start?"

I stretched my arm and propped my palm on the nearest street light to keep my balance as a sudden wave of dizziness came over me. I pushed out the cloud of smoke swirling inside my lungs hoping it would help me breathe more easily. It didn't, so I touched the cigarette to my lips again and pulled on it. _This is it_ , a panicked shout cracked through my mind, _this is truly the point of no return_. I thought kidnapping Rose or reaching out to Ibrahim were big moves, but they were baby steps compared to this one.

"Think carefully, boy. Once you say yes, there's no going back", Ibrahim added as if he knew the kind of turmoil I was silently facing. He probably did.

I closed my eyes and held my breath before saying: "Yes. You can start."

"Good. Keep breathing", Ibrahim said as goodbye before he hung up.

I wasn't sure how long I stood there, gripping my phone while blankly staring at my feet. I would've probably remained paralyzed if the wind didn't smoke my cigarette for me, the damn thing burning my fingers when it was time for it to be put out. I dropped it with a hiss and stepped on it, squashing the already dying flame. And then someone's hand landed on my shoulder and I was reaching for my gun faster than I thought I could.

"Easy", Dimitri blurted when I twitched, making the people mingling around us back away, "It's just me."

"S-sorry", I stammered, running my hand through my hair as he eyed me.

"What's going on?"

"It's—", I started, but then decided I wanted to hold onto that feeling I pondered on before I got the call from Ibrahim, hold onto it for at least this one day, "No, you know what? Let's talk about it tomorrow. Tonight... I just want to be _me_."

 **POV: Rose**

"What the hell is all of this?"

"If you ask Dimitri, poison in various packages", Adrian laughed, dropping the bags he was carrying on the counter next me, "But I feel comfortable using the word snacks. And don't worry, I got plenty of them for you too."

"Thanks", I chirped, my stomach announcing its awakening as Adrian started unpacking some of my favorite junk food, "Not that I'm not excited about the prospect of it happening, but is this what we're going to live on from now on?"

"Nah, these are just for tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yeah, for movie night."

"I'm sorry", I almost choked, staring at him in shock, "You do _movie nights_?

"Doesn't everyone?", he questioned, looking at me as if I was a lunatic.

"Sure, I guess. It's just a bit unexpected since you're a criminal and all."

" _Entrepreneur_ ", he corrected, cocking his eyebrow, "Which still doesn't mean I'm not entitled to some fun and rest."

I couldn't argue his logic however weird it was. Despite his choice of words he had a solid point. I shrugged and joined him, helping him pour the snacks into bowls while he continued: "And you're one lucky bee, it's my turn to pick the movies. Trust me, you don't want to get stuck with Dimitri's choices. I swear to God, that man's incapable of picking anything filmed in the past few decades."

I fixed my eyes on the can of Pringles in my hands, trying to conceal my excitement at the mention of Dimitri's name. It felt like eons since I last saw him. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was avoiding me. _Again_. Whenever I was awake he was either away from the house, patrolling the grounds or doing God knows what in his room. Also, I could swear he'd actually flee from a room seconds before I entered it. I couldn't confirm my suspicions because I'd never really seen him do it, but it was impossible to ignore the clues left behind him: the lingering scent of his cologne or aftershave, half finished off meals or drinks left on random surfaces and an overall feeling of someone departing in a haste. All of it meant he either regretted what had happened between us in the woods, or he didn't and had no idea how to deal with it. Not that I was more prepared for it either. Actually, I was chickening out just as much. Enough to leave his duster hanging in the hallway instead of returning it to him personally after I no longer need it. _Where was that crazy bitch who threatened him with a knife_?

"Dimitri is joining us?", I prompted, trying to sound casual.

"Of course", Adrian exclaimed, handing me two cans of pop, "It's our thing."

As much as I welcomed the opportunity to face Dimitri with Adrian as our buffer, realizing this was some sort of a tradition for them made me feel like an intruder. I bit my lip before pushing out: "Are you sure you want me to—?"

He clearly anticipated my question because he vigorously shook his head before I could finish and exclaimed: "Uh, ah! Don't even! You're like, I don't know, our adopted kid or something. You're part of the family now."

Being his or, even worse, Dimitri's _kid_ was a disturbing visual, but I felt warmth rolling around my heart at Adrian's words. Suddenly, I was thrown back to the engagement party and my thoughts of whether Adrian had anyone he considered important enough to call them family. Dimitri made sense. I wasn't certain of it, but he made sense. However, I couldn't wrap my mind around Adrian extending that honor to me. Did he really care about me that much? Apparently, he did. Putting aside his witty quips and devilish smirks, I was certain he was serious about ninety nine percent of the things that came out of his mouth. And, finally, I came to the realization I cared too. More than I'd like to admit. There wasn't a fleck of resentment left in me when it came to either of them. Not a single cell in my body that held any lasting animosity towards them.

"Still on this planet, Little Renegade?", Adrian voiced, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm here. Movie night sounds great."

"Alrighty then, go find comfy clothes", he instructed while handing me a small, paper bag, "Oh and this is yours. I hope they packed everything you needed."

"Thanks", I shot as I turned to leave, only I didn't make it far since I winded up colliding with Dimitri.

I muttered a quick apology while sneaking a peek at him. I was sure he'd avoid looking at me, convinced beyond doubt we wouldn't make eye contact. But, his eyes _did_ meet mine before sliding down my body almost... _lustfully_. And just one glimpse like that from him was all it took for me to turn into a wobbly mess and question whether I could make it up the stairs without crawling. _I must have made it up_ , I thought as my heart started beating faster, _he surely didn't oogle me after how he'd been acting._ I couldn't shake the idea off though, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised I'd subconsciously picked something tempting rather than something comfy to wear. Deep down, I was aware of how much I wanted to have sex with Dimitri again. _Alright, maybe not so deep down_. Still, if I'd known doing him would only make the tension between us worse perhaps I wouldn't have pushed towards it so much. _Who're you kidding_? _You'd take ten times more tension to be able to feel his lips, his touches, his_ —.

"Agh, stop it", I snapped at myself, curling my hands into fists as I marched out.

By the time I joined them, Adrian was already lounging on the sofa watching Dimitri tinker with some cables behind the TV. Apparently, Adrian switched his clothes too in the meantime and as I took notice of them I couldn't stop myself from exclaiming: "My God, are you wearing a T-shirt with _pajama bottoms_?"

"I can add a tie if it'd make you feel better", he laughed, scanning me from head to toe before his eyebrow quirked questiongly.

Since he didn't say anything though, I ignored him and slumped next to him. It took me a few moments to work out the sitting arrangement and by then Dimitri was already taking his seat... _right next to me_. It was as if the sofa magically shrunk all of a sudden. _Boy this was going to be a long night_. I sighed, thankful the volume was turned up enough to cover the noise I made. I grabbed a bowl of chips and decided I needed to concentrate on everything but Dimitri if I was going to make it through this without squealing like an obsessive schoolgirl.

We were on our third movie when I noticed Adrian was no longer straightened up and attentive. He began sliding down the sofa, his eyes closing more often and for a longer amounts of time. Halfway in he was gone to the world, his face buried in the pillows. Honestly, it was adorable seeing him content enough to effortlessly drift to sleep. I had a feeling that didn't occur often. I tried to stay focused, but without the help of Adrian's comments and jokes that kept a big chunk of my brain occupied, I once again became aware of Dimitri's leg brushing mine when he moved and our maddening proximity. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like I couldn't breathe until finally couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm gonna go get some water", I whispered, slipping off the sofa and tiptoeing my way out of the room.

In the kitchen, I leaned on the counter exhaling a heavy breath. My shoulders hunched as my head fell towards my chest and I closed my eyes. _Get it together_ , I warned myself, but it was no use. All I could do was picture countless steamy scenarios that were most likely not happening anytime soon, if ever. _My imagination was good though_ , I thought since I could almost feel Dimitri's large palm pressing into the dip between my shoulder blades. Only when I felt a rush of warm air on the back of my neck did I realize it felt too real to be made up. I twirled around so fast I actually made him jump. But he _was_ there, his chocolate eyes catching my gaze and holding it. I tried to say something, but words failed me when he reached towards me and tucked my hair behind my ear, his fingers curling around it as his thumb brushed my cheek. He pulled me close, bringing his lips a breath away from mine while our gazes remained locked.

"You're going to have to stay quiet", he whispered as I shivered in anticipation, "Do you understand?"

I audibly swallowed before nodding. I was just about to sink my teeth into my lower lip when Dimitri did it instead. He kissed me slow, slower than any of the times we'd kissed so far. There was something rather sensual and passionate in the way his lips moved almost lazily against mine, something that brought a new kind of weakness to my feet. He nudged me back, the counter biting into my ass when he pressed up against me. His body blocked out the strong kitchen lights which made me feel somehow less exposed to the rest of the world. Though being exposed to him was one hell of a compensation. I was forced to arch my back, his height making me stand on my toes to reach his lips. My breasts pressed into his strong chest, my neck bending in the way that made it too easy for him to conquer it. I was beginning to think he'd twist me into a pretzel before he spun me around and grabbed a fistful of my hair, lowering his lips to my ear to mumble: "So you've been expecting this?"

"W-what makes you say that?", I stammered while his fingers traced a delicate pattern over my stomach, just above the waistband of my skirt.

"I was the one who did your pharmacy run."

I was glad he couldn't see my face because I blushed hard enough to make a tomato jealous. Adrian's clueless expression when he gave me the bag with the birth control pills and condoms made me think he had followed my instructions, giving the list to the pharmacist and picking up everything when it was packed. Now I knew that evidently didn't happen. I attempted to sound as nonchalant as possible while I pushed out: "Call it a precaution."

"A bit too much precaution", Dimitri chuckled softly before using his hold on my hair to pull my head back, "You're safe with me Rose. I'm clean."

"How do you know I am?", I challenged, but was relieved there was one less thing to worry about after the _very_ unprotected sex we had.

It seemed Dimitri was ready for my comeback. His lips cracked into a smile against my neck as he replied: "For starters, I read your entire medical file—."

"God, you're such a stalker", I cried out after which he bit my neck so hard it was on the verge of painful.

"I told you to stay quiet."

I glued my lips shut and rolled my shoulders back, leaning into him. I felt him push his hand between us, his fingers grazing my ass as he pulled his sweatpants down. He untangled from my hair, but I didn't move even when he wasn't holding me in place anymore. I heard a ripping sound and then Dimitri's hand snuck below my arm and dropped something on the counter. It took me about a second to realize it was a condom wrap. _An empty one_.

"I helped myself to some of your supplies", he mumbled as he pushed my skirt up and his fingers hooked around my panties.

"So you've been expecting this too?"

"What makes you say that?", he repeated my words in a playful voice.

"Well—."

I never finished my sentence because in a blink my panties slipped down my legs and Dimitri bent me over. No foreplay needed, I was beyond ready for him. We both gasped in relief, the breath he let out dancing over my shoulder while a small shiver worked its way through my body. I pressed one of my hands into the backsplash as he gripped my hips and leaned back, pulling me onto him harshly before letting me slump towards the counter. The faster he moved, the shakier I felt, grabbing onto whatever I could to keep myself on my feet.

 _We'll wake Adrian up_ , a panicked thought crossed my mind as a soft moan ripped away from my lips. Dimitri must have realized the same thing since the next time he thrust into me his arm slid around me, gluing me to him as his free hand moved to clamp over my mouth, my whimpers getting lost in his palm. His movements became short and sharp, but each still made me question how fast I was going to fall apart if I didn't fight against it. Even more because the feeling of him being almost constantly completely buried in me was one of the most intense and overwhelming things I'd felt.

He took me so high I thought I was never going to touch the ground again. He fucked me until I sidled to a blissful delirium, falling apart in his arms and then until he crumbled to pieces as well. I didn't know how long it took for me to become aware of the weight of his body as he leaned on me or his quiet panting next to my ear. He pulled back at some point, letting my skirt roll to its former position and form a thin barrier between us. The absence of his touch helped me come to my senses, but soon his fingers wrapped around my ankle and lifted my foot up. I glanced to my feet, realizing he was collecting my panties that winded up hooked around just one of my legs. When he stood up, I turned around just in time to have him push my underwear into my hand before teasing: "Unless you want me to keep them again."

I had no clue where this cocky side of him resurfaced from, but I liked it. I liked it a lot. Too much maybe since I could feel myself getting wet at the mere sight of his confident smirk. I took a deep steadying breath and shook my head while he leaned on the counter behind him. I needed to clear my head and talk to him before he disappeared again. I wasn't confident I'd be coherent quite yet, but in the end I managed to push out: "You know, the last time we did _this_ you were determined to make me accept you as my guardian. I don't want to meddle in the way you do your job, but I'm not sure how protecting me works when you're nowhere in sight."

"Were you in any danger?"

"No."

"Then you didn't need my protection", he shrugged matter-of-factly.

"Well, I could've been. In danger."

"Of what? Running out of ice cream?", he laughed while quirking his eyebrow, "You're right, that actually could've been very dangerous."

"Oh, fuck you."

"You just did", he shot back, his voice coming out a little husky.

 _Was he already up for more_?, I thought, but shortly mentally slapped myself on the wrist. _Focus_. It felt like it was a million degrees in the room so I opened up a window, using the fact that my back was turned to him to add: "Anyhow, you never really told me what that deal was about?"

Without planning to, I started a game he was more than ready to play. He waited until I no longer had an excuse to look away before responding with a question of his own: "Do you really want to have that talk _now_?"

"Why not?", I challenged as he pushed away from the counter, shortening the distance between us in one of his gigantic steps.

"There are other things—", he started, reaching down to touch my thigh, but I backed away.

"Yeah we can get to those things after you answer my questions."

I was clueless as to how I found the willpower to stop him, but I nearly patted myself on the shoulder for managing to stand my ground. I wasn't going to let him seduce me into dropping this, though I didn't think he specifically aimed at that. Actually, I was ready to bet he had no idea how many things he could get away with if he learned to put his charm to use. Even without charm, looking the way he did could certainly get him places. Still, none of it was going to save him from having this conversation. And some of it reminded me to add: "And since when are you so interested in _those things_?"

"Since you told me to _make up my damn mind_ ", he replied, keeping his position despite his hand pulling back, "Actually, even before that."

"Good to know", I mumbled before continuing, "So, the deal. What exactly did you say you'd do?"

He visibly mulled over his answer and then said: "I promised I'd do anything to protect you, no matter the cost."

I opened my mouth to question him further before a chilling thought crossed my mind. Maybe it was the word he used, the word that made me think about the things I'd tried to forget. The things that happened and almost happened when we were kidnapped. ' _Rose, you're going to be okay. I promise'_ , Dimitri's voice echoed in my head, only this time I found a different meaning to it.

"Wait, is that the reason behind what you did to those monsters who kidnapped us? Some backdoor pledge you made to Ibrahim? Him telling you to _protect me_ at all costs? Was that how he wanted you to do it?"

"What?", he breathed out, his eyes widening.

"You heard me. You could've just rendered them unconscious or snapped their necks, but you made them hurt. Was it because you knew that's what Ibrahim would want?"

"Is that what you really think?", he almost whispered, his expression hardening.

"I—, I don't know what to think Dimitri. All this stabbing in the dark has been giving me a headache almost as much as your mood swings. I'm trying to make sense of everything, but you're not making it easy. So tell me. Just tell me. If it wasn't because of my father then why did you do it?"

He froze, his lips gluing together in the way that made me think he was trying to do anything but what I'd asked him to. And then, when I least expected it, he slowly and steadily elaborated: "Because the mere thought of them _harming_ you made me want to show them pain they could've never imagined."

My heart climbed to my throat and, for a moment, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to kiss him or run from him. I caught a glimpse of the man who bashed Keith's scull in when he spoke and it made every hair on my body stand on end. When my mind wrapped around his explanation I found myself asking: "Why do I get the feeling there's more that you're not telling me?"

The question rolled off my tongue on its own, but when I said it I became aware of this odd sense of something deeper and darker lurking in Dimitri's head. Like _me_ being harmed was not the only reason he wanted to tear them to pieces. Like there was something in his past that—. _The tale Adrian didn't want to share_.

"There's a lot I'm not telling you", Dimitri calmly responded, though his eyes burned through mine, "But most of it has nothing to do with you."

I didn't want to let this go, not when I finally made Dimitri talk to me for more than two minutes. However, my time with him was yet again cut short, only not by either of us, but by a loud noise coming from the living room. The crashing sound that echoed through the house was amplified by the deathly silence, making my heart bounce off my ribs so hard I gasped for air. Dimitri moved immediately, but it didn't take long for me to catch up to him. We ran into the living room as an almost animalistic cry spilled through it.

"Stay back", Dimitri shot as my eyes fell on Adrian's figure illuminated by the faint light from the still turned on TV. I also located the source of the earlier noise. It was a glass that Adrian had clearly kicked off the table, making it fly across the room and smash into pieces.

"SON OF A BITCH", Adrian growled, fighting to shake out of the blankets he was still partially wrapped in.

"Adrian, it's okay, it was just—", Dimitri started, but it seemed Adrian came to his senses and readily responded.

"I know what it freaking was. What's a man gotta do to get one goddamn night without any shitty dreams? FUCK!"

Adrian certainly knew how to exceed even my level of colorful. My mind raced back to the word I'd thought of when he had fallen asleep. _Content_? Yeah not so much. I guess resting peacefully wasn't in the cards for either of them. _But to think Dimitri waking up from a nightmare was scary_. When Adrian nearly knocked over the coffee table, Dimitri and me in what seemed like an attempt to get away from the invisible demons that were chasing him, I knew I could freely admit Adrian was undefeatable in the _I'm crazy as fuck_ department.

When he thumbled away, I realized the direction he was heading in and tried to warn him about the broken glass, but missed my shot since he moved too fast, slamming his foot down right in the middle of those sharp shards. I expected him to scream out in pain or at least yelp, instead he just froze and, after a mere breath, wordlessly kept on walking. I almost convinced myself he was somehow magically immune to pain, but then I noticed him wincing with every following step. I tried to approach him, but Dimitri held me back and whispered: "No."

I looked up at Dimitri as he watched Adrian, seeing his brow furrow in worry. I waited until we were left alone to ask: "Shouldn't we—?"

"Let's give him a moment", he mumbled, turning to me while his expression shifted to unreadable. I jerked back when his hand moved towards my face, still jumpy after the scare Adrian gave me. He moved slowly, brushing my hair back and nudging my chin up with his slender fingers.

"You should go to bed Rose. I'll take care of Adrian."

"Okay."

But it wasn't okay. It was maddening how long my thoughts kept me awake. I wanted to listen to Dimitri, I wanted to do as he told me, but after realizing my brain wouldn't shut up, I huffed and got up. I made my way to Adrian's room as quietly as I could, slipping inside with a soft click of the door. When I turned, I found Dimitri's eyes in the dark almost immediately. He was sitting on a lounge chair I haven't notice in Adrian's room before, his legs propped on the bed. He didn't look surprised to see me which really said a lot about my predictability.

"Don't wake him", was all he said as I glanced at Adrian.

He was lying on his back in the middle of the bed, his injured but now bandaged foot, hanging from the edge. Judging by his face I'd assume he was deep under, but the unsteady rise and fall of his chest told a different story. I kicked off my slippers and climbed next to him, wrapping myself up in the blanket I picked up along the way. Once I settled down, Dimitri leaned back and his eyes closed. In a matter of seconds his breathing deepened and slowed. Either I woke him up or he was too exhausted, because somehow I was convinced he usually didn't pass out so fast. I closed my eyes as well, but while I was still in-between gone to the world and lucid, I felt Adrian's fingers brushing my wrist. I caught his hand and gripped it tight, hoping it'd bring him comfort. And in that moment, something Adrian had said came back to me. He joked I was his and Dimitri's adopted kid, but it felt like he was ours really and that made me want to defend him from all of his demons, whether I could see them or not. _That_ , truly made us family.

* * *

 **Hey everyone! Wow, I didn't expect such a strong reaction for the previous chapter, but damn I'm glad y'all like it so much! I hope this one didn't disappoint either! I'll keep this AN short, but I wanted to quickly bring one thing up! So one of the reviewers inspired me and I'd like to see if you guys have some questions for me! I'd like to keep the question of the week thing in my AN's but I thought I could maybe pick some of your questions or all of them and answer along with my own question! So, what do you think? Anything you'd like to know about me? Let me know in the reviews or PMs!**

 **Question of the week: What's the saddest book/movie moment you've read/seen? For me it's what I'd like to call my childhood "trauma" and it was Dumbledore's death in HP books! I thought Sirius was bad and then I spent an hour and a half crying my eyeballs out when this happened! My poor dad tried everything to cheer me up and almost cried himself! Though I have to say that nothing made me ugly sob like well pretty much most of the pages of Fault in our stars! I was so not prepared for that book and I screamed at one of my bffs for 15 minutes straight for making me read it!**

 **See y'all next week,**

 **Kisses T!**

 **Songs: Born For This - The Scope, One Time - Marian Hill**


	29. CH29 - Ready, Set, Go!

**POV: Dimitri**

 **9 years ago**

Two months spent in the company of Adrian Ivashkov felt like a lifetime. It was becoming clear he was incapable of staying idle for more than a few hours. He always had something to do and somewhere to be. When he'd said working for him would be hard, I thought he was referring more to the mental toll of the job. I was prepared for things that'd be difficult to stomach, dirty work in its truest form. However, it turned out he simply meant it'd be exhausting. So exhausting in fact, I couldn't stop myself wondering if he was a machine. McCall and I barely managed to keep up with him and we at least took turns resting. But, he stayed true to his promise, taking care of my family in ways I never could. It made me determined to keep our arrangement intact, regardless of the times I questioned my decision to accept it.

After a while, I'd come to realize the biggest test for my psyche as his employee wasn't at all what I'd expected. Shockingly, with each passing day, I found it more strenuous to resent Adrian. It was almost annoying how likeable he was. Even worse, it was painful how often he reminded me of Ivan. The way he bore himself, confident and stout-hearted, made it seem like he could shape and bend everything and everyone to his will. I couldn't deny that he exuded charm, same kind of charm that instantly made me want to be Ivan's friend. He was just one of those people who could probably convince Satan to be their lap dog if they so desired. Your resistance to him became irrelevant under enough pressure and he knew exactly how to apply it.

"You cut your hair I see", Adrian commented as I walked up to him and McCall who looked like he was about to collapse on the table.

McCall had been on duty for hours and, judging by the slightly dazed look on Adrian's face, most of it was spent in Adrian's bar. It was my turn to guard him and McCall wasted no time taking off. He was probably dying to go to sleep. He exchanged a few words with Adrian while I ordered a cup of coffee, waving me goodbye before he headed out. Adrian toyed with the decorative umbrella in his glass for a while until he decided to add: "Is your new hairstyle meant to show off your tattoo?"

I instinctively brushed my hand over the snake like symbol on the back of my neck, still feeling uneasy it was there before replying: "No."

"You don't talk much, do you?", he asked as if he hadn't figured it out already.

I shrugged and he tittered, eyeing the cup the waiter placed in front of me. He tapped on the rim of his glass, making the poor guy scurry away in an attempt to get him another drink as fast as possible. Since I'd joined Adrian's staff, I never once saw someone disobeying him. People who came in contact with him often clearly knew better than to assume his laid back attitude and deceivingly harmless looks weren't just for show.

"I'll make you a deal", Adrian suddenly spoke up, giving me an odd look, "I'm going to ask you some questions. You'll get a hundred bucks for every answer you give me. And, if your answers contain more than two or three words, you'll get a bonus fifty."

"That's a waste of money."

"It's my money, I get to spend it however I please."

I shook my head and huffed, waving at him to get on with it. His face split into a grin as he chuckled: "That's more like it. So, what's the deal with you and that woman... Natasha, is it?"

"We're friends", I replied, pausing before I decided if I was going to be tortured I'd make the most of it, "We've known each other for a while and, as I told you, I knew she'd be in danger if I left her behind in Russia after what I'd done."

"Friends, huh? Any benefits I should know about?", he prompted, wiggling his eyebrows.

"No. There's nothing you should know about."

"Ha! Man, you're good", he exclaimed, leaning back into his chair, "I like how carefully you pick your words. It's a talent, really. See, now you've earned three hundred bucks and didn't reveal almost anything. I knew I made a good call by choosing you."

"Why did you chose me?"

"That's not how the game works", he warned, shaking his head.

"I'll pay you. It seems I have three hundred dollars to throw around."

"Touche. Alright, well, I've heard things about you."

"What things?", I prompted as his eyes fixed somewhere above our heads.

"That you're a hard worker, dedicated and loyal, honest man—."

"And you thought those were perfect qualities to become a criminal?", I taunted as he glanced back at me with an unreadable expression.

"You being a criminal has nothing to do with me, remember?"

I felt my chest tighten and the energy that was urging me on deflate. I was about to back down when he added: "Your friends apartment wasn't the first time I've seen you, you know? I was there when you participated in those illegal fights. I even bet on you a few times."

My shock was probably visible from another planet and it only seemed to amuse Adrian. He bit his lip before continuing: "I believe it was only a matter of time before you got sucked into this life. Like it or not, you have Ivashkov blood in your veins and that, _cousin_ , means you don't get to live in peace. And, you see, I've learned early on in life to be meticulous about who I chose to fight against or with. So, I did my research and... you know what? I decided I'd much rather have you on my side, regardless of what brought you to it, then wind up on the receiving end of your fists."

I stayed quiet for a couple of moments, thinking over what he'd said, and then mumbled: "I don't think I have enough money to pay for that many words."

He blinked at me with a blank expression before his eyes sparked and he burst into laughter. He hit the table top with his palm, making its contents bounce. His laughter was light and pure. I realized it was the first honest reaction I'd gotten from him. It was a glimpse at what hid behind his smirks and unpredictableness.

When his laughter died down, he exclaimed: "You're actually pretty fun when you want to be."

I shrugged as he looked past me, adding: "Now, where the hell is my drink?"

I peered over my shoulder towards the bar, quickly realizing something was off. Both the waiter and the bartender were nowhere in sight and the only two guests left were the same ones I'd noticed hunched over their tables when I came in. If I'd paid more attention, perhaps I would've sensed the air of sketchiness around them. Their drinks were untouched. They haven't moved from their seats. Their faces were averted from us which I'd interpret as disinterest if the circumstances were different. However, the tenseness of their postures told a different story.

I reached for the gun I was given on my first day, one I hoped I'd never have to use, as I opened my mouth to express my concerns about the patrons that looked more suspicious the longer I watched them. And then one of them moved.

It took me a while to recall all the details of that moment once it was over. All I knew was that I acted out of instinct. In what seemed like a blink of an eye, I was on my feet and so was everyone else. Guns were drawn, bullets fired, things turned over and broken. I reflexively grabbed Adrian and pushed him back. The men who attacked us fell to the ground and it wasn't until later that I'd realized that happened because they were killed. It was after the danger was gone that I felt immense pain in my shoulder while blood seeped through my shirt.

 _I was shot_.

"Hey, hey", Adrian's muffled voice came from behind me.

I turned to look at him and felt his fingers closing over my wound, making me cry out in pain. I tried backing away, but he held me in place while instructing: "Easy. It's a flesh wound, but you should take it slow, alright?"

"I—."

"Take it slow", he repeated, pulling up one of the chairs that was knocked down and nudging me towards it, "Sit. I'll patch you up."

"Do you even know how to do that?", I mumbled, feeling dizzy and disoriented.

"You got another hundred bucks to spare?"

 **Present day**

"Stop fidgeting", I warned, tightening the bandage as Adrian winced.

"Stop torturing me", he replied as he tried to pull his foot away from me.

"Stop whining."

"Stop bickering like an old married couple", Rose peeped, strolling in with a tray containing Adrian breakfast.

Despite his protests, two votes against one meant he was going to be forced into bedrest for at least one day. Some of the glass got stuck pretty deep into his foot which meant it'd take longer for it to heal. I knew better than to think such an injury would keep him down for too long, but I had to make sure it wouldn't get complicated or infected.

"Us? A couple? Funny, you should say that. Because I think you two would—, aghhh, for fuck's sake Dimitri, was that really necessary?", he cried out before I loosened my grip on the bandage when I'd decided he understood my warning.

Rose set the tray down, giving him a proud smile while she announced: "Your Majesty, I present to you the best grilled cheese sandwich you'll ever taste."

"That's awfully confident."

"It's literally the only thing I know how to make so be happy it's what I chose."

"Alright, done", I announced, letting go of Adrian's foot while simultaneously blocking his attempt to get up as soon as he was free, "You're staying here and I'm going to shower. Rose has volunteered to make sure you remain put."

"And was given permission to handcuff you if you disobey", she warned with a dose of playfulness, producing the cuffs she'd ask me to give her.

"Surprisingly, I actually _don't_ want to know how you got your hands on those", Adrian said, his eyes shifting between us accusingly, "Just please tell me you've cleaned them after using them."

"You wish", she laughed, settling into the chair I'd abandoned and plopping her legs on the bed.

"Behave", I warned, not quite sure myself which one of them I was addressing.

I couldn't wait to get under the shower. Sleeping in a half-seated position made my muscles cramp so I welcomed the steamy water, relishing the way it helped my body relax. However, there was another reason of a different nature behind my appreciation. It was the opportunity to get rid of the scent that stuck to my skin like glue. Rose's scent. I smelled of her which wasn't only distracting, but maddening. After the mess Adrian had made, I didn't have time to worry about masking all the evidence of my preceding activities. Though, at first, I thought Rose's presence in his room was what cause her scent to sneak up my nostrils. It wasn't until I left both her and the room behind that I knew I'd soaked her up and carried her with me.

However, I was foolish to think rubbing her off my skin would ease my mind. She undeniably drifted through all of my thoughts and I knew I'd gone in too deep. I couldn't shake her off or run from her. I could no longer deny her to myself. She was a drug and I'd become an addict because, like all addicts, I'd convinced myself I could only try her and then walk away. _Falling for someone is putting yourself at their mercy. They can either take you to heaven or send you straight to hell_ , Ivan's words from a conversation that seemed like it happened decades ago rang through my head, _but it's still a ride of a lifetime my friend_. I could try to deny it all I want, but I was one foot into that ride and it scared me more than anything. As much as I didn't want to believe it, it was perfectly obvious Rose would be my downfall, one way or the other.

After a lot of self reprimanding and silent cursing at my stupidity, I finally got out of the bathroom. To my surprise and for one long and agonizing moment, I thought all the soap I'd used still proved useless. But then my eyes shot up and I realized Rose was in my room. She was sitting on the foot of my bed, her body angled back and propped on her palms which were flat against the covers. Her eyes wandered towards me lazily, but I didn't miss the way they widened once they landed on my bare chest.

"Was Adrian giving you trouble?", I asked, guiltily relishing how appreciatively she continued to watch me.

"No, he fell asleep again and I got bored."

"So you came here."

"So I came here", she repeated, pushing herself off the bed and strolling towards me.

As she moved closer, images of last night flashed through my head. No woman had ever made me crave her as much as Rose has. I felt like I'd never be able to get enough of her. When she came to a stop before me, I had to fight the urge to reach out to her. She lifted her hand, briefly pausing before touching my chest and I knew my inner battle would soon turn pointless. Only, when her fingers made contact with me, I noticed her eyes filling with as much curiosity as desire that'd been in them seconds ago.

"What's this?", she asked, picking up the necklace I always wore.

It seemed stupid to call it a necklace since it looked like a piece of junk hanging from a chain. Essentially, it was junk, but it held grave importance. When it was given to me, I hated it. It reminded me of what it was like to feel terrified and helpless, reminded me of my weakness which was its exact purpose at the end of the day. But, in time, I'd learned to view this small, round and bulgy piece of lead as something else entirely. It became something that kept me fighting.

"It's a bullet."

She picked it up and rolled it in her hand, running her thumb over the engraved numbers on the back of it while I added: "Adrian started this... tradition of sorts. We wear the first bullet we've dug out of our bodies as a reminder."

"Reminder of what?"

"That we're not invincible", I mumbled, wrapping my fingers around hers when she gripped the bullet tighter and looked up at me, "That this one, tiny thing can end our lives in the matter of seconds."

"And the numbers are—?"

"The date when it happened."

"Jesus", she breathed out, her free hand sneaking up to my shoulder, "You were younger than I am now."

I nodded, giving her a tight-lipped smile. Her hand slid from my shoulder to my neck and she used her hold to pull me closer. When our lips met, I was surprised by the gentleness of her movements. It was a brief and almost chaste kiss. It was unlike any we'd shared before. It made my heart dance to a completely new and unfamiliar rhythm. It made emotions stir up inside me. Emotions that were sure to get me in trouble. When she backed away, her golden-sparked eyes fixed mine and she whispered: "Dimitri, I—."

"Will somebody please bring me some fucking painkillers already?", Adrian's voice boomed through the house, cutting Rose off.

The spell broke and we harshly pulled apart. I couldn't decide if I was angry or grateful he'd interrupted whatever was happening or about to happen between Rose and me. Still, I was undeniably relieved the tension in the room deflated. Rose sighed, clearing her throat before yelling: "I'm coming, you unbearable man!"

"Way to go Dimitri you stud", he shouted back making both of us groan.

"You—?"

"Yeah, I got him", she cut in, rolling her eyes, "You finish up here."

She turned to leave and I called after her, but instead of putting one of the many feelings she'd stirred up in me into words, I winded up mumbling: "Take it easy on him."

"Sure", she replied with a dose of what almost seemed like disappointment.

 **POV: Rose**

"I was today years old when I realized how boring being mafia's kingpin is. How about you?"

"I've been graced with that knowledge a long time ago", Adrian laughed while I leaned over to glance at the papers in his lap.

"What is all of that anyway?"

"Finances", he mumbled, scribbling some numbers on the bottom of the page he was reading before tossing the stack away.

"So even criminals do administrative work, huh?"

"Ha, that we do", he chuckled as I quirked my eyebrow.

"What, no _I'm an entrepreneur_ speech?"

"I think we're past that. Besides, you seem to be liking criminals lately."

"Where the hell did you get that idea?"

In response he gave me one of his teasing smirks, reaching for another file from the pile Mason had delivered. When he moved, his shirt bunched up and I found myself trying to peek under the collar. _Aren't you the queen of being discrete?_ , I scoffed, fully aware I'd been staring at Adrian's chest like an idiot for an hour, attempting to get a glimpse of his necklace. It was probably just a matter of time before he figured out what I was doing or, perhaps, he did it long ago but chose to let me make a fool of myself. Whichever it was, it seemed he'd decided to let me know he was onto me.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say Dimitri's told you about the bullets?"

His eyes flickered up after he spoke, boring into mine until I blushed and looked away. He let out what sounded like an amused snicker, digging into his shirt to pull the chain hidden underneath out. He rolled the bullet over his palm before taking the necklace off and muttering: "Here."

He placed it in my hand and returned to work, leaving me to study it on my own. The bullet looked almost exactly the same as the one Dimitri had. It was all scrunched up, bulgy and discolored, with a date carved on it. As I let the numbers sink in, I gasped: "But I don't understand this means—."

Adrian gave me a somber peek and I felt my throat tightening as I pushed out: "Christ, you were six."

"The wound never faded", he said, pulling his shirt to expose a small circle that marred the skin right above his heart, probably guessing my thoughts since he quickly supplied, "It missed my heart by a millimeter."

"You must have been terrified."

"Not really. I'd seen people gunned down before. It wasn't exactly news to me."

 _People_? _His mother and God only knows who else_. I suddenly felt sick thinking of how many gruesome and terrible things Adrian had to live through. And do. I might not agree with some of his choices, one of them being him kidnapping me in the most sneaky way possible, but he'd clearly been fighting for survival for the better part of his life. When I was six, I was still playing with dolls. He'd told me numerous times he'd been at war longer than I could comprehend, but it wasn't until now that I'd fully understood what he meant by that. His childhood wasn't spent playing innocent games. It was spent dodging bullets and handling guns. It was something I wouldn't wish on anyone.

"You okay Little Renegade? You seem sad."

I looked up at him, fixing his beautiful emerald eyes and whispered: "I hope this ends soon."

I wasn't sure if he'd understand what I meant, but when his lips twitched into a small smile I knew he could tell what was on my mind. His lips then parted as if he was about to say something before his eyes flickered over my shoulder and he addressed someone behind me instead: "Care to join is?"

"Care to get out of bed?", Dimitri shot as I turned to stare at him in confusion.

"I thought he's supposed to be on bedrest."

"He's supposed to be resting", Dimitri confirmed, moving into the room, "But it doesn't necessarily have to be in his bed. I thought we'd all be more comfortable in the living room."

"You do know you don't have to babysit me, right?", Adrian protested to which Dimitri quirked his eyebrow.

"You want out of that bed or not?"

"You drive a hard bargain", Adrian laughed, pushing his work away to stand up.

Dimitri helped him down the stairs while I followed them, carrying all the files Adrian insisted on needing to _finish all the boring parts of business_. Once in the living room, Dimitri wiped up a book and settled on an armchair while I went to get something to drink. I returned just as Adrian's phone rang and he answered with an almost cheerful: "Yellow."

" _You're one insane son of a bitch and that might be the only reason I don't hate you_ ", Mia's voiced boomed from the speaker.

"That's an eloquent way of saying you love me", he teased, making Dimitri roll his eyes.

" _Pfff, don't get carried away._ "

"Sure thing Darling. So, to what do I owe this emotional outburst?"

" _Turn your TV on._ "

The three of us exchanged confused glances before Dimitri got up and followed Mia's instructions. As soon as the screen came to life, we all turned our focus to the ongoing coverage of what seemed like a series of arrests. Dimitri turned the volume up as the news lady announced: " _The painting was authenticated and is indeed the long lost work of Rembrandt. The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, along with thirteen other works of art, had been stolen from Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston on march eighteenth almost thirty years ago_. _Only this piece has been retrieved, but the men who were in the possession of this lost treasure will remain under investigation_ —."

Dimitri turned the volume off and glanced at Adrian, saying: "You didn't."

"Oh, I did... I so very much did", he replied with a devilish grin.

" _I knew you did it_ ", Mia added, reminding me she was still on the line.

"How _did_ you know?", Adrian questioned while I looked at Dimitri for answers.

" _You've gotta be crazy as fuck to pull something like this off and, I mean, have you met you?_ "

"Sadly, yes."

"Does somebody want to clue me in on what's going on?", I exclaimed to which Dimitri stood up and motioned me out of the room.

Adrian turned the speaker off and lifted the phone to his ear as Dimitir and I left to find somewhere more quiet to talk. He waited until we descended into the sun bathed garden before saying: "Adrian made his first move on Victor."

"Wait, he got him arrested?"

"Not him. Some of his associates", he elaborated as we headed down the path I knew led to the woods, "Adrian likes art. I knew he'd acquired the painting they mentioned on the news, but I'm just as surprised as you he'd parted with it. But, after all, I guess he has more important things to worry about."

"Like sticking it to Victor", I concluded as Dimitri nodded, "But, how?"

"How what?"

"How did he throw the blame on them?"

"Adrian has his ways of—."

"Playing the game", I finished when Dimitri trailed off and glanced at the path ahead, remembering my thoughts from earlier.

We walked in silence for a while, winding up at very spot where we first gave in and dived into lust. Being here again made my body tingle, making me feel like it had been years since Dimitri touched me, not less than twenty four hours. I wondered if he felt the same way when his eyes darted towards me and his lips set in a tight line, almost like he was fighting against those same daring thoughts and memories. We slowed to a stop, our gazes locking while the silence seemed to intensify the tension between us.

"Sooo", I drawled, stepping closer to him.

He didn't move away, but his expression hardened as he said: "Rose—."

"Comrade, if you tell me again that we can't do _this_ ", I cut in, waving between us, "I'm going to kick you somewhere you're not going to enjoy."

He sighed and glanced up at the treetops, his shoulders slumping. Seconds later, his hand rose to curl around my neck and his eyes found mine again. He took an unsteady breath before whispering: "You know we shouldn't."

"I know it's what you want to believe. But we made a deal Dimitri. I accept you as my guardian and you compromise. If you don't honor it, neither will I."

"Roza", he growled softly, his eyes closing in what seemed like a lot of effort to stay in control, "Ты сводишь меня с ума."

"Not that I understood anything you just said, but... Roza?", I chuckled dryly as his eyes fluttered open.

"It's the Russian version of your name."

"Hmmm, I like it. It has a nice ring to it."

He leaned away, but thankfully didn't let go of me. It seemed like he sobered up from his brief moment of... whatever it was, his voice sharpening when he said: "Rose, I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you."

"And I'm trying to subtly avoid it."

"There is no point in avoiding it", he warned, but I wouldn't back down.

"There is 'cause, right now, you're letting that soldier part of you that we talked about take charge. I'm gonna wait until that guy's not around and then I'll give you my undivided attention."

"He's always around. You know that."

"Yeah, but sometimes he's more quiet."

"Rose, the more we give into this, the harder it's going to be to walk away. You and I both know it won't end with just a few—", he trailed off, a barely visible brush painting his cheeks.

"Hot and horny sex sessions", I prompted, teasing him so he'd slip out of his unnerving seriousness.

"Rose", he huffed exasperatedly, his hands dropping.

"You do know saying my name repeatedly isn't gonna change anything, right? I do have to admit though, saying my name in Russian again might get you places and if you stop overthinking, you might even enjoy it."

"It won't happen", he snapped, his eyes darkening.

"Whatever you say Comrade", I shot back just as his phone rang. With a huff he dug it out of his pocket as I added: "Saved by the ringing nightmare. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say I have Adrian to thank for that."

"We should head back", Dimitri confirmed, but the look in his eyes told me this conversation was far from over. _Or maybe it was over and the finality of it was going to fuck me since he won't_.

The road back seemed two times its normal size when spent in ignoring Dimitri and his stormy expression. As much as I didn't want to have this talk with him I still had to admit he was absolutely right about at least one thing. We went from hating to tolerating each other and then it was like we skipped months of what'd be gradually getting closer, going straight into a figurative car crash. I felt as if someone put my entire world on fast-forward and I was tumbling through it with nothing but weak attempts to catch up. _You can't fall in love with someone this fast, right_? _There's no way that's possible_. But, was I just after _hot and horny sex sessions_? Nope. I wasn't and I knew it. Everything within the past two and a half months of my life was insane and extraordinary. Not always the good kind of extraordinary, but still far away from normal occurrences. Maybe that could justify the way I felt about Dimitri. Most of those feelings were hard to put into words, but they were all strong enough to have me holding on for dear life.

"Okay", I blurted out so suddenly I even surprised myself.

"What?"

"Okay, if you don't want anything to happen between us again, it's fine by me."

 _What the fuck are you doing_?, a part of my mind screamed at me. But the other part knew that, if I really considered Dimitri to be more than just someone I was banging, I had to let him decide for himself. Take things at his own pace, even if he took them somewhere I didn't want.

"Is this a... _trick_?", he asked, eyeing me carefully.

"No tricks. You can fall into my friend category right next to Adrian. It's what you wanted, right? You didn't say it in too many words, naturally, but it's what bothered you when we talked at the engagement party — that I didn't consider you a friend. Now, I do."

His eyes meet mine and I couldn't help but wordlessly grumble: _Damn this man and his stone mask_. His emotionless expression lingered for several moments and I found myself wishing I could rip some kind of a response or reaction from him. I guess that cliche line, be careful what you wish for, existed for a reason. I should've been very careful because I had no idea how hard it'd actually be to swallow his response.

"Okay then. We're friends."

* * *

 **OMG! Over 300 reviews! You rock people! Big thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favourited, followed and read this story! Your support, feedback and willingness to dedicate your free time to my writing means the world to me and makes this story even more worth writing! THANK YOU! And for this chapter, as all others, please do let me know your thoughts via PMs and reviews!**

 **Question of the week: What's your favourite music genre? Mine is rock (almost all of its variations), but I do listen to many others too (which I'm sure y'all figured out judging by the variety of my song suggestions in my stories XD)!**

 **Songs: Only One King - Jung Youth, Blasé - Kwamie Liv**

 **XOXO T!**

* * *

 **Translations:**

 **Ты сводишь меня с ума. = You're driving me mad.**


	30. CH30 - Trouble in Paradise

**POV: Sydney**

Brayden's mother despised me. If you asked anyone in his family or him, they'd deny it, but I knew better. She'd go out of her way to praise me, claiming I was the best future daughter-in-law one could wish for, but in reality she hated I was his fiance and did her best to make me as uncomfortable and unwanted as she could. Today was another shining example of her _hidden_ dislike for me. If the fact that she'd spent an hour luring Brayden into reminiscing about his ex wasn't bad enough, insisting on a bourbon vanilla and coconut cream wedding cake was pushing it. I understood Brayden had a life before me and I wasn't the jealous type so, though I didn't particularly enjoy listening about how _great and sweet_ Caroline was, I could swallow it. But, as girly as it sounded, I was NOT okay with her meddling into our wedding plans. Especially not by suggesting a cake with alcohol and coconut. I half expected her to add peanuts to the mix and try to kill me while she was at it. I'd learned she loved pretending to forget I was allergic to them the hard way.

"Oh and the flowers. You should have peonies. They are so beautiful."

"Sydney likes lilies", Brayden said and I almost screamed _hallelujah_.

"Ah, well, I guess lilies could do then", she sang, giving me a forced smile that I quickly reciprocated with one of my own.

As she stood up to get the pictures of flower arrangements she'd printed, _in case we didn't choose lilies_ , I felt my phone vibrating. I discreetly dug it out of my pocket to peek at the caller ID, seeing it was unknown. _Well,_ _whoever they are, they'll have to wait_.I really didn't want to have my head _politely_ bitten off for interrupting her majesty. It rang again though and I moved to turn it off before freezing. It wasn't often I received calls from people I didn't know. Not on my private number at least. _This has got to be Rose_.

"Excuse me", I mumbled, standing up hastily, "I need to go to the bathroom."

"Of course dear. You know where it is", Brayden's mother exclaimed bubbly.

I forced myself to slow my pace so I wouldn't raise any red flags, but as soon as there were no eyes following me I dashed into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I quickly moved towards the sink, turning the water on to muffle my voice before picking up. A wave of exhilaration washed over me as soon as I heard Rose say: "Finally! I was beginning to think you weren't gonna pick up."

"Oh God, it's so good to hear from you", I breathed out, closing the lid of the toilet to sit down.

"I told you I'd keep in touch, didn't I? Soooo, how are things?"

She sounded too... relaxed. _Are we really going to pretend you're not calling me from your kidnappers hideout_?, I wanted to ask, but decided against it. I wasn't going to pick a fight now that I finally got to talk to her again. If acting like all of this was normal was what she wanted, so be it. She asked for my trust and I was going to give it to her. She never failed me before. She wouldn't do it now.

I tried my best to follow her lead and continue the conversation as if everything was fine, replying: "Things are good. Work has been less stressful lately and the wedding plans are going okay. How are you? Any news on when you're coming home?"

"No official news on that front. As for how I am... well, I actually wanted to talk to you about something that's been messing with my mind lately."

"What is it?", I asked in alarm, unable to help thinking of all the terrible things she could be going through in her captivity.

"It's one of my _bodyguards_ , he's really—", she trailed off, my mind finishing her sentence with words like: _scary_ , _evil_ , _devil incarnate_.

"Has he... done something to you?", I breathed out, trying to stay calm despite how fast my heart began beating.

"Oh, he's done plenty to me, but it's not what you think. Syd, I think I like him. _Really_ like him. Like falling for him like him."

"You... what?"

"I thought if I banged him, I'd get him out of my system, but it only got worse."

"You had sex with him?", I hissed, wondering if she'd lost her mind.

"Don't be judgy. Trust me, if you saw how smoking he is, you'd understand."

"He's your kidnapper!", I exclaimed, cringing when my voice echoed off the walls louder than I'd like.

"I know, I know, Stockholm syndrom much? But Syd, he's so... ahhh, damn it! I can't really explain it. Let's just say he's the most perfect imperfect man I've set my eyes on."

"Rose, listen to me, you need to snap out of it. He's a criminal. He's responsible for everything that's happened to you in the past... Christ, it's been nearly three months since you've been taken by those men and—."

"Nobody's ever made me feel this way", she cut in, her voice laced with a dose of something I couldn't quite name, "I know all the reasons he's wrong for me, but he makes me feel so alive. You know, the rollercoaster ride adrenaline alive. And when he tries to push me away, I just want him closer. It's maddening."

I opened my mouth to argue, but came up with nothing. The truth was, I wasn't familiar with such a feeling. There was no rush of adrenaline with Brayden. He calmed me, strengthened my rational side and I always thought that suited me well. So hearing the dreaminess of Rose's voice when she talked about this man who she should hate made me curious. I should've been more worried. Then again, if there was one thing I was sure of, it was that her life wasn't in imminent danger, unless I counted her recklessness as life threatening.

"Syd, are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

"Yeah", I sighed, feeling a strong urge to hug her and protect her from the world and herself, "But an old friend once told me normal is boring. You may be a lot of things, but boring isn't one of them."

"So I should go for it?"

"No, that's not what I said—", I started, but she soon interrupted.

"Oh shoot. Gotta go. Thanks Syd. I love you. Talk soon. Byeee."

"Rose?", I cried, but she was gone.

I resisted the urge to facepalm myself and stood up, pushing the phone into my pocket. I turned the water off just as somebody knocked on the door. I rushed to open up and came face to face with Brayden who's frown was enough to tell me he was either worried or pissed I was gone for so long. Maybe even both.

"Sorry. Stomach problems", I automatically mumbled, seeing his frown deepen.

"Who were you talking to?"

"What?"

"I heard you talking to someone, just like I heard your phone vibrating", he said, his voice gaining that scolding quality I always disliked, "You didn't have to lie about needing to use your phone if it was important."

"Are you sure your mother would agree?", I blurted out without thinking.

"Can we please not bring my mother into this?"

"Into what?", I challenged, clearly subconsciously deciding not back down for a change. _Rose would be so proud_.

Instead of answering directly though, he glanced down to where I put my phone and repeated: "Who were you talking to?"

And in that moment something came over me. Something that made me feel and seem like a completely different person. I didn't know if it was the culmination of stress I'd been under or the talk I had with Rose before she was kidnapped or, maybe, even the talk I had with her now, but I cracked. I looked him dead in the eyes and snapped: "It's none of your business."

"What?"

"It's none of you business", I repeated firmly, seeing his eyes widen in surprise.

"Of course it is. We're engaged Sydney. We're about to start a new life together and that means—."

"It means you should still respect my privacy", I cut in, feeling bolder than ever, "If I say it's none of your business then I clearly don't want to tell you."

"Sydney—."

"I think we... need a break", I pushed out, surprising even myself.

 _What the fuck are you doing_?, my mind screamed at me, but I was determined to follow my gut. And that was when I realized I was riding on adrenaline. Loving Brayden was supposed to make me feel like that, not fighting with him. He was supposed to make me feel powerful not undermined. _Was my entire relationship_ _wrong_? _Was Rose right all along when she told me I shouldn't marry him_?

"A break? Are you out of your mind? We're getting married in four weeks."

"I'm well aware of that."

"What has gotten into you?"

"I don't want to be boring", I mumbled, knowing he wouldn't understand what I meant, but for the first time not really caring if he would, "I have to go."

"What?"

"I'll stay at Lissa's", I announced, though I had no intentions of barging into her home just because I didn't want to return to mine, "I'll call you when... I'll call you."

"Sydney—."

"Goodbye Brayden."

I was out of his parent's apartment before he could try to stop me. My heartbeat, breathing and thoughts were all erratic, but I felt my lips tug up. I'd potentially ruined my future, came one step away from breaking off my engagement, if not passing that step already and yet, I was smiling. _Yep, I was definitely not boring anymore_. _I was batshit crazy._

 **POV: Dimitri**

"Here's the plan", Adrian said as I strapped my gun into my ankle holster, "I'll go with McCall to meet Papa Rinaldi, get the merchandise, drop it off and then I can come join you and Rose in Zamora. Good?"

"Sure", I mumbled, unheedingly adding, "What should we do while we wait?"

"Hm, let's see... drink? I hear that's what people usually do in bars", he teased, peering at me over his shoulder while locking up the ammo cabinet, "Or _maybe_ even have fun. You do remember what fun is, right?"

I huffed and rolled my eyes which only seemed to entertain him further. I heard the door behind me squeak before a rush of air carrying Rose's perfume notified me of her presence. I turned to look at her as she strolled in, curiously scanning the room. It was difficult to peel my eyes away from her when I noticed she was already dressed up for the night out Adrian had promised her before she went to call her friend. I wondered what they talked about, but didn't panic over it, for a change. She was aware of the risks of sharing too much information and I knew she wouldn't do anything that'd put her friend in danger.

"I thought you kept your weapons next to the shooting range", she commented, shrugging her jacket off a little bit which made her form-fitting tank that seemed to push everything up and in at the same time more visible.

"We keep backup and practice weapons there", Adrian replied, evidently having less trouble staying focused then I did when she started absentmindedly toying with the zipper on front of her top, making my mind beg her to open it.

 _Control yourself_ , I silently barked. Rose finally chose to back off so I could _not_ , under any circumstances, afford to screw that up. Giving into temptation would be colossally stupid. I knew if I allowed myself one more slipup, there'd be no going back.

"Alright, I should be on my way", Adrian announced as Rose turned towards us, "I'll see you two later."

He patted my shoulder and brushed Rose's arm on his way out, leaving us alone and silent. We stared at each other for a few moments before I prompted: "Shall we?"

"And where are we going, _friend_?", she asked, her expression becoming almost challenging at her last word.

"Zamora", I replied shortly, hellbent on avoiding starting any sort of bickering.

"Sure. Let's go", she said, grinning before she twirled around and headed out.

I didn't miss how she moved her hips when she walked away.

Rose was unusually quiet on our way to Zamora. She didn't even ask me to turn the radio on which was something she'd always request when riding somewhere and wouldn't back down until she was indulged. She spent most of the time that took us to arrive staring out the window while twirling her necklace between her fingers. She looked almost... pensive. It worried me and made me spend a lot of the ride pondering on what could've made her act so unlike herself. _Was it what we'd talked about yesterday, her decision that we were to be friends_? _Was it her chat with her best friend_? _Or something else entirely_?

I probably would've gone crazy trying to solve the unsolvable if she didn't perk up once we reached our destination. A part of my mind remained in overdrive in attempts to figure her behaviour out, but I mostly focused on participating in the light chit-chat she started. It seemed it was quite a lively night at Zamora which was something I only noticed when Rose pointed it out. Getting into the bar was easy since Mia was clearly expecting us. The bouncer let us in without a second glance despite the protests of the crowd waiting outside. Fighting our way to the bar proved more difficult, but once we reached it, there were two seats waiting.

"I had to protect those with my life", Mia shouted from behind the bar when she saw us sitting down, "You guys owe me."

"I didn't know we were so VIP", Rose chuckled while Mia placed two beers in front of us, clearly deciding our choice of alcohol on her own.

"You're not", Mia shot with a mocking grin, "But even I know better than to tell Ivashkov to go fuck himself when he tries to make a reservation."

"To smart choices", Rose exclaimed, taking her glass and tipping it towards Mia in cheers.

"Indeed", Mia confirmed, pouring three shots of whiskey and downing one, "I'll catch up with y'all later. I have to work."

She left the other two shoots for us and scurried away to the other side of the bar which was even more crowded. I scanned the smoke filled room briefly, making sure there were no suspicious faces around. _More suspicious than usual that is_. I turned and glanced at Rose just as she knocked the whiskey back in a swift gulp chasing it down with a hefty sip of her beer. She mimicked my raised brow and said: "What? I was thirsty."

"It'd be wise for you to stay sober", I mumbled, but felt as if I was talking more to myself really.

"Don't worry Comrade, I can hold my liquor", she laughed while waving at the other bartender to attract his attention, "Hey, can we get more of these?"

I picked up my own whiskey and downed it, pushing the glass next to Rose's as the bartender came to fill it. I took out my wallet and asked him how much I had to pay for the whole bottle. He smiled and handed it to me with reassurance that our bill was covered in advance. _I guess tonight is on Adrian_. Remembering his suggestions about drinking and having fun, that thought made even more sense.

"Can we move over there?", Rose asked, trying to outpower the tunes coming from the multiple speakers around the room.

I glanced at where she pointed and nodded, motioned her to move as I picked up our drinks. I thought she would stop once she reached the area I saw from where we were seated, but she paused when she noticed a slightly isolated space to our left and peered over her shoulder at me. Zamora had a couple of pool tables, but there was only one separated from the main room. Both Mia and Adrian had the habit of choosing that exact one to play on. Some of the patrons were already in the middle of a game, but I prompted: "Do you want to play?"

She nodded and I nudged her towards the table where one of the men waiting on his turn was sitting. His eyes narrowed at us as I placed our drinks next to theirs, pulling out a free chair for Rose as soon as my hands were free. My back wasn't fully turned to him so I noticed when his eyes flickered up to my neck, fixing on it for a few seconds before he abruptly stood up. As much as I disliked using my allegiance to Adrian as means to getting things done, I had to admit it had a way of making life easier in certain situations. The symbol on my neck became more known over the years and, after all the trouble it had put me through, it was nice to see its perks resurface for a change.

"I think you scared them away", Rose commented as the men abandoned their game in a hurry, only stopping to collect their things and drinks.

"I don't know what you're talking about", I replied, unable to help a smile that seemed to amuse her.

"Yeah, whatever you say hotshot. You want to show me how to do this?"

"You don't know how to play?", I questioned in surprise as I moved towards the table to arrange it.

Instead of responding she picked up one of the cue sticks and handed it to me as she moved to help collect all the balls into the rack. When the table was set, I let her take the opening break, giving her pointers before she took the shot. She did alright for someone who didn't know how to play, but none of the balls made it into any of the pockets. I patiently talked her through my turn, sinking two balls before purposely missing so she'd play again. She seemed to be getting worse at even holding her cue stick though, let alone angling her shot.

"Wait, Rose", I stopped her, rounding the table to reach her, "Let's start over."

"We don't have to play", she sighed, pouting in disappointment.

"Come on, I didn't peg you for a quitter", I teased, knowing it'd encourage her to keep playing, "It's not as hard as it seems. Here."

I stepped behind her, placing my hands on her hips to correct her stance. I knew I'd have to enter her personal space more than I wanted... or, at least, more than I should want, but I justified it by the fact I was only doing it to help her learn. It took some maneuvering, but I finally got her to hold the cue correctly, bending with her to guide her aim. Admittedly, it took a lot of effort for me to keep my cool in such a compromising position.

"Dimitri", she mumbled so I barely heard her because of the music that was still floating towards us from the main room, "I have to tell you something."

"What?", I breathed into her ear as she suddenly moved, rubbing against me.

"Six ball in the corner pocket", she announced before flawlessly and effortlessly sinking the ball right where she said would.

I jerked back, gawking at her when she turned and gave me a mischievous smile that made me realize I'd been played. I frowned and pushed out: "You lied."

"I didn't", she contradicted before she made an impressive jump shot that ended with another pocketed ball.

"You said you didn't know how to play", I argued, but was too dumbfounded to put any heat into my words.

"No, _you_ said I didn't know how to play. I kept my mouth shut."

"Why?"

"I have a feeling you don't get hustled very often", she chuckled, scoring for the third time.

Finally, I recovered from my surprise and eyed her while saying: "Okay."

"Okay?"

"If that's how you want to play it, let's play."

 **POV: Rose**

Dimitri was difficult to beat when he no longer tried to take it easy on me. I was impressed which was saying a lot since I'd spend hours playing pool after my shifts while working in Mark's pub and had faced very skilled opponents. They had nothing on Dimitri though, especially since he was fueled by the desire to make me pay for the trick I'd played on him. The first few games seemed more like a war than something we were meant to do for fun. But, after we'd agreed on my rule of taking a shot of whiskey after each shot in the game, things changed.

"What's the score again?", I asked after Dimitri finished his eight ball shot.

"I believe it's—", he exclaimed, stumbling slightly when he moved to take his glass, "Nine to eight."

"Liar", I chuckled, elbowing his arm playfully.

"I'm no such thing", he mumbled, grabbing his beer and sloppily taking a gulp.

I watched him, suddenly feeling like there was something off about him. At first I couldn't put my finger on it, but then it hit me. _He's drunk_. Not 'can't stand on my feet drunk', but definitely 'very tipsy' drunk. Truthfully, I wasn't any better, but for Dimitri it was so weird. He wasn't the type to give into mindless fun. Or, at least, I didn't think he was. Seeing him take a break from his usual tenseness, smiling and enjoying himself... it was a side of him I was glad to finally meet.

"Another one?", he asked, pointing behind him.

"Nah, it's official, you win", I replied, even though the competitive spirit in me begged me not to.

"HA", he exclaimed, curling his hand into a fist before knocking on his chest, "I guess I can now add beating Rosemarie Hathaway to my list of achievements."

"You do that", I laughed, taking our beer glasses so I could get them refilled and turning just in time to bump straight into him.

I looked up at him through the haze that filled my mind a few shots ago, seeing his eyes were as blurry as I figured mine were. I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol he'd consumed or something else entirely, but his expression suddenly became completely unguarded. I was more than tipsy which meant I was in no condition to be analyzing anything, let alone something that surely couldn't be true. Still, I couldn't help thinking there was something almost loving in his eyes as he said: "Don't I get a prize?"

His lips were dangerously close. So close in fact, our shaky and uneven whiskey laced puffs collided and tangled, going back and forth over that small space that separated us. _That_ accompanied with the scent of his aftershave and hypnotic, intense and honestly very arousing gaze formed a heady mix. One that made my body feel like jello. _You said you were gonna let him decide_ , I warned myself. It wouldn't be fair or right to assume that was what he was doing. Not when under the influence of boilermakers. _No, if you really want him to be more than a bang buddy, you need to stop him from doing something he'll regret_. It was difficult to walk away, but I forced myself to give him a brief kiss on the cheek and say: "There. You got your prize."

I tried not to think about the disappointment in his eyes too much as I slipped to the side and added: "I'll go get us more of these. Be right back."

He made no attempts to stop me and I was glad. I was only human after all. It be beyond difficult to exercise restraint again, especially since I usually had none. I noticed the bar had emptied a little since I last strolled through it. It was still full of smoke and alcohol fumes, but I somehow found it easier to breathe with all the extra space around or maybe distancing myself from Dimitri was what made me feel that way. As I waited for the beers, I pondered where Adrian was. It was way past time he'd joined us and I was actually starting to feel a bit worried.

"Hey there little lady", someone behind me said, cutting my thoughts short.

I turned around and faced a man that seemed somewhat familiar. No matter how much I tried though, I couldn't for the life of me remember who he was, where I could've seen him or why his gaze made me so uncomfortable. He was a decent looking guy... you know, if you were into guys who sported ton of hair gel and a cowboy outfit. When he spoke again, his southern drawl almost made me laugh. _Weren't his calfskin boots and tacky belt buckle enough to paint the picture_?

"What are you doing here all alone?"

"I'm not alone", I responded stepping back as he moved closer, "I'm here with a friend."

"And where is your friend?"

I peered behind him which wasn't an easy task, judging by the fact that he was taller and wider than me. Sadly, as I already guessed, I couldn't see Dimitri or anyone familiar for that matter which made me feel even more uncomfortable. It wasn't as if I was never approached by guys in bars and clubs before, but I had this odd feeling this guy was going to cause more trouble than I was used to dealing with so far. But I wasn't going to let him intimidate me. I straightened up, giving him my toughest glare as I said: "Around. Now if you'll excuse me—."

"Oh come now, Miss Mazur. Don't run away so quickly", he chuckled, stepping into my planned escape route, "I'm more fun than Belikov could ever be."

And then I remembered where I knew him from.

"Spiridon", I breathed out, trying to maintain my composure despite my surprise and a tiny bit of fear, "I'm sure he'd say the same thing about you."

"He would, wouldn't he? Well, he doesn't know me very well."

"Neither do I so—", I started, trailing off when he moved close enough to make me step into the counter behind me, the hard surface biting into my back.

"Let's rectify that. Come with me and we'll get to know each other real well."

 _Here goes nothing_ , I thought as I curled my hand into a fist, running over all the lessons Dimitri had given me before swinging up. It was hard to tell who was more shocked by my actions, but he was for sure caught off guard completely. He stumbled backwards and I used the opportunity to slip past him, hoping I'd reach Dimitri or at least run into Mia before Spiridon recovered. _No such luck_.

"Where do you think you're going?", I heard him growl under his breath as his fingers closed over my shoulder.

He tried pulling me back, but I elbowed his ribs when I realized he'd carelessly left them unguarded. _Guess he didn't expect me to put up much of a fight_. As he curled in pain, I used the advantage the decline of our height difference gave me to swing my head back as hard as I could. It hurt, _a lot_ , but I was sure the pain he felt was worse judging by the cracking sound that followed the impact. He let go off me and I twirled around, deciding to put all of Dimitri's lessons to use. _If your opponent is distracted, don't hesitate to strike_. I grabbed his shoulders and swung my knee right into his crotch.

I realized our fight had attracted attention when a few patrons cheered for me as I delivered my final blow. When Spiridon doubled over, I tried to get away once again, but didn't get very far. Not because of him though. I was stopped by none other than the man I was attempting to get to. And he was... _angry_.

"Move", he said in a flat voice which only made his command scarier.

"I took care of it", I blurted out, not daring to look back at the man who was probably going to get annihilated if I didn't talk Dimitri out of it.

"Move", he repeated, his eyes fixed above my head.

"Let it go."

"Rose, get out of my way", he hissed, trying to surpass me before I grabbed him and held him in place.

"Dimitri, please."

"Why are you trying to save him?", he snapped, his eyes finally meeting mine.

"It's not him I'm trying to save", I whispered, touching his neck tentatively first and then cupping it fully, "Let it go."

"Well, if he does, I won't", Adrian's voice came behind us, making me twitch.

 _All night and NOW he shows up_. When I looked at him I noticed he was holding Spridon, who had apparently recovered from my blow enough to straighten up, at gunpoint. _Where is Mia with her shotgun when you need her_?, I thought when everyone in the room stopped moving, waiting to see how this would end.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't put a bullet in your head?"

Spiridon moved his hands in a surrendering gesture and replied with: "We're on the same side, remember?"

"Not good enough", Adrian said, the safety of his gun clicking off.

"Adrian, bar full of people", I hissed under my breath, hoping he'd see reason.

His emerald eyes shifted to me, his lips pursing before he said: "Better."

After another breathless moment, he put his gun down, causing a collective sigh and a few quiet grumbles from the crazier part of our audience. When he was no longer at Adrian's mercy, Spiridon slowly moved back and towards the exit. For a second, I thought Dimitri might try to do what Adrian gave up on, but he stuck to his spot and simply eyed Spiridon as Adrian added: "She just saved your life. Make sure you remember that."

I didn't breathe until that blond head disappeared through the door. And then all of the people around went back to what they were doing, the bar slipping into its usual buzz. Adrian walked up to us as I slumped against Dimitri, unable to even care I was invading his space.

"You seemed worried there for a second Little Renegade", he shot cheerfully as I felt Dimitri gingerly rubbing my arm, like he was trying to calm me, "Did you really think I was gonna risk exposure for a nobody, no matter how annoying he is? Please, give me some credit."

"Right. Then why did you click the safety off?"

"Cause making people fear me is my favorite pastime."

"You're a psychopath", I breathed out, leaning away from Dimitri to try to stand on my own.

"I prefer creative", he quipped, looking at Dimitri before heading to the bar, just as Mia reappeared.

"What was all that freaking noise about?", she questioned while I faced Dimitri, hearing Adrian respond with: "You always miss the fun Darling."

I was relieved to find Dimitri's expression back to normal. There was a tiny hint of rage still dancing through his eyes, but when they met mine it got replaced by something else. He looked almost proud when he said: "You were great in that fight."

"You didn't even see it", I argued, but couldn't help blushing.

 _Really Rose_? _You're blushing over him complimenting you on a bar fight_? His hand moved to brush the annoying strand that fell over my face away, his lips tugging up when he mumbled: "But I saw the result."

"Well, I had a great teacher."

I was certain Adrian couldn't hear us and almost certain he wasn't looking at us when he shouted: "Stop flirting and get your asses over here. We've got plots to discuss and enemies to bring misery on."

I was also pretty sure Dimitri and I both held back a growl before joining him.

* * *

 **Hey everyone, hope you enjoyed today's update and that it'll be enough to prepare you for some bad news! Here it goes: I'll be taking a two week break due to personal reasons, one of them being my exams! I have to focus on studying and that hasn't been easy because of some stuff happening around me lately! Basically, I'll only miss one Saturday since I'll be back with a new update on the 29th! I hope y'all can be patient with me and hang in there until life settles a bit! For those of you who enjoy my writing in general (not just this particular story) you can check out some of my other work in the meantime to keep you busy and entertained!** **I hope at least some of you might be interested so, to make things more clear, here's some basic info about my stories:**

 **1\. The Amethyst Heart (completed) - my baby aka the first story I've written on FF *proud momma tears*! It's a part of a trilogy with an addition of a prequel! It's an OC centred story, but has all of our favourite characters including Romitri (as a couple)**

 **2\. The Dark Almandine (on-going) - sequel to TAH**

 **3\. Before I Met You (on-going) - prequel to TAH and essentially my take on Dimitri's preVA story**

 **4\. Through a Prism (on-going) - a ten chapter story that covers Adrian's life preVA, VA, BL and post BL**

 **5\. Deliver Us from Darkness (completed, needs to be rewritten because of spelling and grammar errors) - Dimitri and Adrian centred story (not in a romantic sense) starting from my twist on the scene in LS when Rose got shot**

 **6\. Play Your Role and Tell me if I'm Dreaming (one-shots) - written for the VA10thanniversaryproject for Halloween and Christmas**

 **If any of you wind up giving any of these stories a shot, please let me know what you think! Y'all know how much I value your feedback! Happy reading and enjoy your following two weeks!**

 **Question of the week: Who are you're favourite fictional characters (max three)? This is a freaking though one, but I'll go with Adrian Ivashkov (of fucking course), Dean Winchester (Supernatural) and Damon Salvatore (TVD)! I'm screaming at myself for not picking a female character to enter my top three XD, but I guess I have a thing for "bad boys with good souls"! Even more, I have a thing for broken characters and I love watching them build themselves up, fight their demons and get better!**

 **Songs: Bad Guy - Billie Eilish, She Keeps Me Up - Nickelback**

 **XOXO T!**


	31. CH31 - Fool me Once

**POV: Abe**

 **32 years ago**

News of my father's death didn't surprise me. They didn't even shake me. I was certain he'd meet his end violently. It was simply a matter of time and place. As soon as I heard from my brother, I could already guess how it went down. It was the same kind of faith that awaited me for sure. Normal men would mourn the demise of a family member, but truthfully, I'd given up on building any kind of relationship with my only living parent a long time ago. I considered this entire situation to be nothing more than an unwanted complication. A complication that meant I'd have to postpone my trip which I didn't particularly enjoy doing.

The upside of Mahir biting the dust was that all of the men working for me tried to stay out of my way, probably fearing how I'd react to my _loss_. The ridiculous thing was that I reacted to it by taking a long, calm walk through the compound. I didn't expect to have any company and I didn't really want any, but my wishes changed when I caught a glimpse of a short, brown ponytail. I approached her in a few strides, deciding it'd be best if I announced myself instead of hugging her from behind. After all, it wasn't wise to startle a nine months pregnant woman.

"Ah, my favorite Russian beauty. What brings you to my neck of the woods?"

"Ibrahim", she said, turning to me with a wide smile, "I came to see Bogdan. He said he needed to talk to me. Apparently, there's a crisis that requires my advice or presence or however he put it."

"I think I know what that crisis might be", I chuckled, kissing her cheek while I thought back to Bogdan telling my brother he'd make sure I'd have someone by my side while grieving, someone I trusted.

"Well, don't keep me in the dark. What's the crisis?"

"Me", I said, rolling my eyes, "Or at least that's what he surely thinks."

"Why does he—?"

"My father was killed", I cut in as nonchalantly as I could.

I still didn't succeed in my intentions not to worry her. Her dark eyes widened, a frown appeared on her forehead and her words came out in a whisper: "Oh, I'm so sorry. That's terrible."

"No worries Olena, I'm fine. It is what it is."

"Are you sure?", she asked, reaching to gently touch my arm before squeezing it tentatively.

"Absolutely", I exclaimed, giving her a reassuring smile, "Come. Let's go for a walk. You can walk right?"

"I'm pregnant, not an invalid", she tittered melodiously, the very sound making me relax more than I thought possible. I never expected to befriend her. She was a good, pure woman. I was glad to have her in my life. And I knew I'd miss her dearly once I left Russia behind.

"When is the little guy arriving?", I asked, trying to keep my mind occupied so I wouldn't get too nostalgic before I even had a reason to be.

"Any day now and I still haven't picked a name. Any suggestions, wise man?"

"Hmm, well, I can only give you one because it happens to be my favorite."

"Do tell", she prompted, peering up me.

"Dimitri", I said, glancing at the hand she rested on her belly.

"Dimitri", she repeated as we passed one of the loading docks, "I like that one."

It was still odd to see her paying so little attention to unlawful things happening all around her. Then again, she was living with a criminal. A much worse kind. I knew what I did was devil's work, but at times, I wondered if Randall Ivashkov was the actual devil. No matter how hard I tried, I could never quite understand why she was with him. What she saw in him was a mystery to me. When Bogan introduced me to her ten years ago and then later told her what his and my job actually was, I thought she'd wave a crucifix in front of my face. Instead, she simply accepted things the way they were, never viewing me any differently. To her, I was the man who saved her oldest friend from a miserable life. She was always grateful for it, though that in no way helped her personally. _As I said — pure to the core_. With all of that in mind, I couldn't help but tell her what I'd wanted to for quite some time now: "He's no good for you."

"Who?", she asked before doing what she did best _—_ reading people's thoughts, "Randall?"

I nodded, a small sigh escaping me when I saw her make that same face she had whenever she was about to defend him. That same face that clearly stood behind the reason she was still with him. Only this time, she started with a question rather than an argument: "Why do you say that?"

"Because I know men like him. They are rotten."

"Ibrahim!", she exclaimed, her cheeks reddening as she looked at me in shock.

"I mean it Olena", I said in a sharper tone, knowing she'd truly listen only if she saw how serious I was about this, "How long have you known me?"

"Since Bogdan came to work for you."

"And have I ever lied to you? Have I ever been wrong?"

She looked up at me, her dark eyes boring into me before she whispered: "No."

"Then trust me, you need to get away from him or he'll hurt you."

She fell silent, fixing on her feet as her pace slowed. She knew I was right, but I knew she'd never leave him. Not until it was too late and the damage was done. I wish I could say more, do more to convince her to choose a different path for her children and herself. I wish I knew how to make her see the truth. _She sees it well_ , my mind argued, _but she chooses to ignore it_. Love did strange things to people. That was one of the main reasons I stayed away from it.

"If you decide to heed my advice, I can help make arrangements for you and the kids. Get you somewhere safe before I leave Russia", I added, realizing she was most likely going to avoid responding to what I'd said.

"You're leaving?", she exclaimed, stopping and turning to me.

"Yes, I've been meaning to tell you that", I said, feeling a bit guilty I'd just now brought it up, "I thought a change of scenery might do me some good."

"Where will you go?"

"The land of dreams."

"America? Oh, Ibrahim that's so far away", she said, her eyes a bit shinier than before.

"I'm not leaving forever", I reassured her, hoping I wasn't lying, "Besides, I've already planned what I'm going to buy Dimitri for his first birthday."

"I haven't decided on that name", she chuckled, rolling her eyes.

"You will", I said confidently as she stepped closer and gave me a tight hug.

"I'll miss you, dear friend."

"I know", I mumbled, kissing the top of her head, "I know."

 **Present day**

I wasn't in a rush. Planning every move, taking your time — it was important in this life. It was important in any kind of life really, but when you were playing a game in which every player was almost as smart as you, it took an extra edge to beat them. Having an ace up your sleeve at all times was a necessity. A backup plan was not only a precaution, but a life vest. Only, this time around, I was the one trying to throw that life vest to my own daughter before she drowned. _How did I get here, after everything I've done to protect her_?

I held the restaurant's door open for the guest who were on their way out when Pavel and I arrived, then nodded to him to follow me inside. I noticed he tensed as we made our way to the reception desk, his hand slipping over his gun almost reflexively. I believed we had no reason to be on alert. If our host wished to kill us, there were certainly much easier ways to do it than in a place full of witnesses who couldn't all be bought off or killed.

"Reservations?", a young woman behind the counter asked with a polite smile.

"Dashkov."

"Right this way Sir", she sang, motioning us to follow her.

It became rather clear Victor had chosen this restaurant and the particular table he sat at for a reason. He wanted to show me he meant what he'd said. This was a business meeting, not a trap. He'd picked the table that was elevated and more visible than any other table which was meant to give me a sense of safety. It was unnecessary, but I appreciated the effort despite having no appreciation for the man himself. Victor and I didn't cross paths that often, but I knew enough about him to be certain he was not the type of man I'd want to collaborate with. Even without Rosemarie in the equation, I might've felt inclined to help Ivashkov. He reminded me of my younger self and for that I would consider lending a hand to him either way. _Maybe_.

"Ibrahim Mazur, it's been a while", Victor spoke up as I neared the table, with a signal to one of his men to pull a chair out for me.

"Indeed."

I sat down while Pavel took a place next to Victor's bodyguards. As soon as my back touched the chair, a drink was placed in front of me. My favourite drink. I quirked my eyebrow at Victor, watching a satisfied smile spring over his lips as he said: "I make it a habit of gathering information on important people."

"And I make it a habit of not having dinner with someone who's supposed to be my enemy."

"Why did you come then?", he questioned, but seemed relaxed enough to make me realize he was very sure I wasn't here for the reason I was going to state.

"Curiosity."

"Curiosity is good", he commented, picking up his fork and digging into his half eaten meal, "I'm curious about many things, one of which is the reason why you were willing to work with that... _boy_."

"You and I both know the reason. Just as we both know Ivashkov is not really a boy. Underestimating him was the mistake I'll only make ones."

"Well, I guess you're right", he said, the look of disgust that crossed his face as he spoke almost making me laugh, "Underestimating him proved to be unwise."

"What is the meaning of this meeting Mr. Dashkov?"

He looked up, but instead of answering my question offered: "Would you like to join me? The food is incredible here."

"No, but I get the feeling that eating is not what you want me to join you in."

"Smart man. Naturally, food is not why I called you here. I would like to make a proposal, a... better offer than the one you were stuck with so far."

"A better offer?", I repeated as his face slowly split into a cat-like smile, "That's unlikely since you're not the one who's in the possession of my daughter."

"And what if I can get your daughter away from him? What if Rosemarie finds herself safe and sound with no possibility of getting caught in the crossfire?"

 _What if_? I knew he was more than capable and resourceful, but could he truly do what he claimed he could. And if so, what did he know that I didn't? The truth was, despite all of my research and everything I'd learned from Ivashkov, I still didn't know who Dashkov had on his side. Not entirely. He'd done an excellent job at keeping a lid on it. I knew he wouldn't tell me any of his secrets since he was aware I could easily go back to working alongside his opponent. But he was willing to go out on a limb and give me a taste of what he had in store by telling me how he could get Rosemarie out of Ivashkov's grip. Whether he'd succeed or not was irrelevant. Neither of them would risk killing her now knowing having her around was what tipped the scales of power in their favour. _But which one of them wouldn't risk killing her later_? _Only one way to find out_.

"I'm listening."

 **POV: Janine**

 **23 years ago**

I felt like I was a teenager again, but without that carefree innocence I should've appreciated more when I had the luxury of it. I wished things were so easy again and, honestly, I was starting to miss sneaking around with my lover for a simple reason such as fear of my parents' reprimand. Instead, the people I was afraid of were much scarier and their punishments would be way stricter than those of my parents. They wouldn't ground me, they'd take away everything I held dear and then they'd take my life too.

Three knocks were a code, a sign I could open up and not question who was on the other side of the door. Still, I took out my gun and held it firmly in my hand, peeking through the peephole before grabbing the knob. He slipped inside and I was in his arms in a heartbeat. Those arms were dangerous and yet, there was no place I felt safer than between them. He kissed my forehead gently as I breathed him in, feeling my racing heart slow down.

"I was worried you wouldn't find me", I mumbled in his shirt before he stepped back and brushed my cheek while smiling at me.

"I will always find you Nikki."

A soft cry spilled through the room the moment he spoke. _She knew his voice_. It was fascinating how she reacted to him. I think she'd know him anywhere, even if she didn't remember him one day. The day when he'd be gone. The day that'd come soon. _Please don't leave_ , I wanted to scream, but I bit back those words as he stepped around me and headed towards the carrycot I'd placed on the bed.

"There's my Little Princess", he cooed, picking her up and kissing the tip of her tiny nose, "Güzel kız."

She gurgled happily and I felt my eyes prick. I tried to snap a mental picture of them together like this, knowing it would surely become something I could hold onto when he left. Something to help me stay strong until we were together once more, as a family should be. He put her down, carefully tucking her in before he turned back to me and said: "I brought you something."

"Ibba, you know I don't like gifts."

"You'll like this one Love", he chuckled, pulling out a large envelope from his unbuttoned coat and handing it to me.

I ripped it open, a stack of papers falling onto the ground while I caught hold of only one thing. _A passport_. I quirked my eyebrow at him and he motioned me to open it while saying: "All the documents are here—."

He ducked to pick up what I'd dropped while I stared at _my picture_ and a name I quickly realized was my new one. _Janine Hathaway_. It was pretty normal, but it sounded beyond strange to me. Starting over meant I had to give up everything I owned, everything familiar, even my name. It was comforting that I'd still get to keep my job or at least stay in the same profession. Ibrahim tried convincing me to do something else, anything that'd put me in less danger, but I was adamant. I was ready to walk away from my family and the town and state I lived in, but I wasn't ready to give up something I'd been working for my entire life. After all, it was my job that led me to meet him. And sure that brought this mess onto me, but I chose to focus on the wonderful parts of my life changing. Falling in love, having a child... it was worth all the bad.

"Rosemarie's papers are all there too. Everything you need to start over."

"And you?", I asked, though I knew the answer already.

"I'll be leaving soon", he said, his voice straining even when he tried to reassure me, "It's for the best."

I knew it'd be pointless, knew we'd discussed it many times and it always ended the same way, but I still tried to convince him: "Ibba, if I can start over—."

"Nikki, I told you already, these people — politicians and cops... they can all be avoided, but they are not the ones I'm afraid of."

"I thought you weren't afraid of anyone", I teased, rubbing his shoulder.

"That was before."

"Before what?"

He glanced over to Rose's carrycot and whispered: "Before her."

When his eyes returned to mine, he picked up my hands and brought them to his lips. He kissed my knuckles and added: "Before her and you, I had no fear. But, you don't know this—, my world. You only got a taste of it. My enemies won't hesitate to use either of you against me. So, I need to go. To keep you safe."

"We could go with you."

"No", he said sharply before his face softened and his voice turned lulling, "No, Love. As long as I'm by your side, you won't be safe. Not for now, at least."

"But what if someone finds out about us? Wouldn't it be better if you were here, if you and I protected Rose together", I argued, turning to walk over to the bed.

"No one will find out."

"How do you know? How can you be sure?"

"Because there are very few people who are... _suspecting_ it now", he explained, coming over to join me as I set next to Rose who'd fallen asleep again, "People who will keep their suspicions to themselves as long as I do what they want."

"And what do they want?"

"They want me to leave."

"Why?"

"Because I'm the only one who can beat them and take what's theirs."

We fell silent, both of us lost in our thoughts before I remembered what little he had told me about some of these men... his enemies. _Was it for my own good_? _Was staying clueless really helping_? I took a deep breath and asked: "That man you mentioned, Nathan Ivashkov, is he one of the people who's suspecting—?"

"Yes", Ibrahim cut in, a frown appearing on his forehead, "Him and his aunt."

"And you think he'll let it go if you leave? Won't he think you're backing off, I don't know, too easily? If you can beat him and you don't do it, he'll know that you have something to hide. His suspicions will be confirmed."

"Not necessarily", he mumbled, pausing before he seemed to have decided he'd share the whole truth with me, "In order for me to do him a favour, he'll have to do one for me. A big one. He'll have to betray his brother in order to save an old friend of mine. In his eyes, that'll be a fair trade."

"How could that be fair?"

"Because he hates his brother and doing this will feel like killing two birds with one stone for him. Ultimately, it's the best deal for the both of us. He gets rid of me and I get to keep the people I care for safe."

I let out a heavy sigh, feeling his hand sneak up my back to rub it soothingly. As we sat there, with Rose between us, I mumbled: "What do I tell her? She'll start asking questions as soon as she learns how to form words."

"If she's anything like us, yes", he laughed softly, looking at her lovingly, "You tell her whatever you need to. Her safety comes first. No matter what."

"Yes. No matter what."

 **Present day**

Patience was something I'd learned. It never came naturally to me, but I knew it was in my best interest to master it. My life, my job and, above all, my daughter required it. Rose inherited some of the best of Ibrahim's and my traits, but she also developed and brought to a new level some of the worst. Stubbornness was something she excelled at. It caused too many fights to count between us. Surely I could've done a better job at being her mother sometimes, but I knew it wasn't just _my_ fault we grew apart. Her inability to see reason once she set her mind on something was unnerving. Still, knowing where she was and who she was with, for once I was happy she was so headstrong. I knew she'd fight to survive better than I'd ever fought. Better than Ibrahim did either.

Heavy footsteps got me to look up and down the narrow alley. At first I thought it was yet another drunk stumbling through the dark with the intention of finding a good enough space to relieve himself. I was ready to wave my badge at him to scare him away, even if I was off duty and couldn't really do much to him. But, as the man moved closer, I realized his steps weren't weighed down by lack of sobriety. He staggered, but only when his eyes fixed on me. _And then I knew it was him_.

"How did it go?"

"Really Nikki? You won't even give me a proper greeting first?"

I was ready to bark out something disapproving or bitter, but then he moved into the light and I saw his face. After all these years, he was still as handsome as the day I'd met him. There was a dose of tiredness in his eyes, but they still held the same fire I saw in our daughter every time I looked at her. We weren't young or hopeful anymore. We knew our plans, our sacrifices all ended in vain. But, for a moment, I didn't care about any of it. For a moment, I was just happy to finally see the man I never stopped loving standing before me again.

"Ibba", I whispered more to myself than him really before moving forward.

When his arms opened and I fell into them, it was almost as if I never left them. I buried my face into his chest and felt his heart beating fast inside it. He hugged me so tightly I could hardly breathe or maybe it was my excitement that caused that. I should've been angry at him. I should've made a scene and blamed him for lying to me all those years ago when he promised Rose would be safe in his absence. He robbed us of a chance to be a family because of his decisions and we still ended up right where we were back then — fearing our daughter would die for nothing more than a play of power.

"I've dreamed of this", he muttered as I looked up at him, "I dreamed of having you in my arms again. I only wish it was in better circumstances."

"Me too", I admitted, weak under his touch and gaze.

We stood like that for a few more moments, just staring at each other before he pushed out: "Let's go. It smells like something died around here."

I wordlessly followed him to his car, seeing someone waiting next to it. I tensed, but soon recognized the man as one of Ibrahim's closest associates. If I recalled correctly, his name was Pavel. The two of them exchanged a few words, most of which I couldn't understand since my knowledge of Turkish never improved. At last, Ibrahim held the door open for me and Pavel took off. Apparently, we were going to be given some privacy.

As soon as we were both seated and Ibrahim started the engine, I prompted: "So tell me, what did Dashkov have to say?"

"Quite a lot."

"Are you going to make me rip words out of you?", I fumed, that constant battle with patience starting within me again.

"Do you really want to get into this?", he questioned, glancing at me briefly.

"I'm already in it."

"Very well. He said he could get Rosemarie away from Ivashkov safely. He said he'd contact me after it was done and she was out of everyone's reach. In return, I'd join his side and once Ivashkov was defeated, he'd tell me where to find her."

"And you trust him?"

"Hell no", he exclaimed, zigzagging between cars in a way that made me consider reminding him I was a law enforcement employee, "But neither he nor Ivashkov will kill their bargaining chip so it won't hurt if he tries to take her. It'd be much easier for me to free her from his hold than Ivashkov's. If not, Ivashkov will still be weakened by any attacks Dashkov would try and I could use that opportunity to take her myself."

"Either way we get her back?"

"Exactly. I don't give two shits about who's going to win. Rosemarie is the only thing that's important to me."

"And what about that man... Dimitri, was it? You said you wanted to—."

"I'll try to save him, yes. But no one comes before our daughter, him included. I told Dashkov I don't want him harmed if possible. Belikov will honor what he's promised if he's anything like his mother, which means he'll be by Rose's side when Dashkov makes his move. He will be given a choice: betray Ivashkov and live or stay loyal and die."

"You think he will? Give him up?"

Ibrahim was right, no one was more important than Rose, but I knew how much he tried to help his friend Olena and her kids once. I was certain he truly wanted to do whatever was in his power to save her son. Still, he couldn't save him if he didn't want to be saved. If Olena didn't ask for help, she would've died and God knows what would've happened to her children. At the end of the day, it was up to Dimitri to either follow in his mother's footsteps and cut all ties with the one who was bound to ruin him or die for a fool's cause.

"If he's anything like his mother, he will", Ibrahim mumbled, but for a change, didn't seem so sure of himself.

 **POV: Jesse**

I'd spent so much time trying to prove myself to my family only to find out it was a waste. That pissed me off, but looking at it from my current perspective it was a necessary evil. If I didn't do everything I could to become the next in line for my cousin's position, I never would've ended up here. I wanted to be the leader of my family's business so badly, I didn't stop to think I could have something of my own. _Well, something I'd take and make my own that is_.

The chair next to me moved and soon Aaron nervously settled in it. I fixed a smile and then turned to him, greeting: "Hey friend, glad you could make it."

"Yeah, I—, why did you call?", he mumbled out shakily, his leg dancing on the footrest.

"To have a drink with you, catch up, see how you're doing."

 _Keep my ducks in a row_. Aaron was too weak. I knew that from the start. It was important to keep him in check so he wouldn't chicken out. He was useful to me for the simple fact that people found him trustworthy. And his desperate desire to do the right thing actually served me well so far. He tricked Rose into staying right where I wanted her without even knowing why he was doing it. _But stupid Keith messed up_. I knew Rose wouldn't trust Aaron again, but I could still use him to keep her away from those two nightmares she called her best friends. At least until I figured out a way to get to her again. Or until my associate did.

"I'm not doing so well. I—, I've been having trouble sleeping."

"And why is that?", I asked, rolling my eyes at my glass while I took a swing.

"Because of Rose."

"I told you not to worry about her."

He looked at me as if he was a deer caught in the headlights and asked: "Jesse, where is she? You said you'd bring her back home."

"And I will."

"When? I can't keep lying to Lissa. I'm a bad liar, she'll—."

"Aaron, Aaron, relax! I told you to call me as soon as you heard from Rose for a reason, okay? She's not safe at home yet. Besides, you said you wanted to keep your girlfriend safe too. If I bring Rose home, that will put Vasilisa in danger."

"But Rose is okay?"

"She's fine."

 _For now_ , I added in my head. Seriously, if I'd known how annoyingly valuable she'd turn out to be, I would've done a better job at hiding my other chicks. _She is a great piece of ass, but she's so not worth all this fuss_. Still, I knew I had to find a way to snatch her again and keep her this time and Aaron panicking about unintentionally betraying her wasn't helping my plans.

"Look buddy, I know Rose and I had our problems, but I promise I only want to help her."

"Yeah, I know", he said as I finished my drink and threw a couple of bills on the bar.

"Have a drink on me. I gotta go, but we'll talk soon. I'll give Rose your best."

He nodded and I turned to leave as my phone rang. I recognized the number, but waited until I was outside and away from the noise to answer it. I didn't say one single word, just waited until I heard a familiar voice from the other side say: "I have a job for you. You're going to love this one."

* * *

 **Hey guys! Sorry I'm late! I've been swamped with studying and I kind of lost track of time and space! I only have about a week more to go until my exams are over so I'm hoping I'll be able to get back on track after that! Thanks for being patient with me and thanks for all the great wishes for my exams to go smoothly!**

 **So, today's chapter... what do y'all think? We had some new POVs in this one and some background story I've been dying to show you! I know there was no Romitri here and after two weeks of not posting I'm gonna get my ass kicked for that, but I still hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! Share your thoughts please, you know how much I love hearing them!**

 **Question of the week: Which language do you prefer when writing/reading? English became my number one choice for both a long time ago! I literally can't remember the last time I wrote (except articles for my college magazine) or read anything in my mother tongue! Stories feel different when you switch languages, right? [my apologies to the monolingual part of my readers!]**

 **Songs: Enemies - Shinedown, Warriors - Imagine Dragons**

* * *

 **Translations:**

 **Güzel kız = Beautiful girl**


	32. CH32 - Boom goes the Neighbourhood

**POV: Rose**

"What is that?"

"It's a bulletproof vest."

"What am I supposed to do with it?"

"Wear it", Adrian said in a way that sounded like he'd follow it up with _duhhh_.

"Why?"

"Has anyone ever told you you ask too many questions?", he grumbled, moving to put the vest on me.

"No one, ever. And isn't that supposed to go under my clothes?"

He pinched my T-shirt, pulling it as far as it'd go while saying: "How do you suggest I fit it under this teeny tiny thing?"

"I can change. I mean, I'll look ridiculous and very conspicuous this way."

"I'm not worried about aesthetics", he shot and I rolled my eyes at those words coming from the most concerned about his looks man I knew, "Or curious eyes. Besides, you can wear a jacket or a hoodie over it, like I wear my suits."

"Wait, you're wearing one of these too?"

"What'd you think I suddenly got fat?", he laughed while tightening the straps.

I was about to ask what caused his desire for extra protection today, but realized it'd give him more grounds to tease me about questioning him too much so I backed out. I figured he'd have to tell me what he was up to at some point.

It had been a week since Adrian started his _attacks_ on Victor. As a result many prisons acquired more occupants, two drug trafficking routes were intercepted and dealt with and criminals all around started betraying one another to save themselves. I thought some of it might come back to bite Adrian in the ass, but so far it was a win after a win without a word from Victor or any retaliation on the horizon. I was starting to think we were fighting a non-existent enemy. What surprised me the most though was that nobody else reacted to his moves either. Maybe I've watched too much TV, but I kept thinking _nobody likes a snitch._ As it turns out, nobody cares if you're a snitch. Not that Adrian _was_ one exactly. He didn't rat anyone out or work with the cops. He just moved the chess pieces and set up traps. It was shocking how fragile this whole system was, how easy it was to punch holes in it. And Adrian brought a sledge hammer to the table.

"I can't breathe with this thing on", I mumbled when he stepped back and I tried inhaling despite the pressure the vest was causing.

"Then I got your size perfectly. Come on, time to go."

"Adrian—?", I started, but my mind immediately screamed: _Don't ask where we are going_. _Don't do it_. _Don't ask anything_.

"Yeah?", he prompted, his lips tugging like he was trying to stop himself from smirking.

"I want to drive."

"Not a chance", he laughed, waving at me to follow him while I childishly stuck my tongue out at the back of his head.

 _This was becoming a thing_ , I thought as we bumped into Dimitri outside. People usually did a lot of daily things as a routine and ours seemed to be: meet in front of the house — get in the car — set out to do something that could get us fucked up or killed. _At least life wasn't boring_. And it seemed Dimitri was intended on making sure his was very living on the edge style since it wasn't hard to spot he wasn't wearing any additional protection over or under his clothes. The guy had big balls.

 _Don't think about his balls_ , I warned myself as soon as my mind tried to slip to naughty thoughts. I was on good behaviour. Actually I was on defence. My new tactic — being as friendly as possible to Dimitri until it drove him nuts. Judging by how he'd been acting in the past couple of days, it was working like a charm. He'd slipped up so many times already, I knew it was probably a matter of that very time before he cracked. All I had to do was be patient. As hard as that was.

"Here", Dimitri shot to Adrian, handing him a duffle I couldn't help sneaking a peek into.

 _Explosives. Oh joy_ , I thought while rolling my eyes which, apparently, inspired Adrian to say: "Relax, murder isn't on today's agenda."

"Does anyone put murder on their agenda?"

"I do, but not until next week", he pointed out and, knowing him, I wasn't even sure he was joking, "Today's just a light recon day."

"Says the guy with five pounds of explosives in the bag."

"I like to be prepared", he said, winking at me while Dimitri stepped behind me.

"Your father gave him the idea", he elaborated, his hand brushing mine when he headed towards the car. _Slip up number... what was it again_?

I smirked to myself and followed them into the limo. Patience turned out to be a great tactic with Adrian as well. I was right to assume he'd fill me in on today's plan whether I asked about it or not. And what a plan it was. After he'd told me about the history of his family's beef with Victor, I knew he was trying to avoid spilling blood for as long as possible which didn't mean he wasn't going to get his hands dirty. This time, dirty meant dusty.

Apparently, Victor was one of many who bought an entire storage yard he used to move contraband. As Dimitri pointed out, after the stunt Ibrahim pulled on The Academy, Adrian thought it might be a good idea to stir Victor with a bang of his own. He was unconcerned by the possibility of the place being heavily guarded and, after I drilled holes through his head with my gaze, told me Victor was going to be too distracted to worry about this particular property. It didn't take a genius to figure out Ibrahim was going to be keeping him occupied.

"We simply have to target the most valuable storages and let the fire department and police take care of the rest. He won't know what hit him", Adrian finished confidently while we ditched the limo.

Adrian was a bit too reckless for his own good, but he wasn't an idiot. We were still taking precautions which meant sneaking into the compound. McCall and a few guys took off first and then after fifteen minutes we followed. Once Adrian finished off his cigarette in one long drag, he tossed it away and stuck his head into the duffle. When he resurfaced, he handed me something and instructed: "Put this on too."

"An earpiece, ha! Now I really feel like an undercover agent."

"Wrong side of the law Rose", he laughed as we approached the barbed fence.

He clipped the radio on my belt and helped me deal with the wires while Dimitri dug out metal cutters from the duffle and began creating our way in. I peered at the yard beyond the fence and mumbled: "Looks lovely."

The whole place was dimly lit which I figured played to our advantage. Rows of storage facilities occupied most of the space to our right, but there were a couple of buildings to our left towards which Adrian said we'd be heading. Apparently, he thought we'd have better chances of finding what we were looking for there, but also opted for it because more cover meant we'd be less likely to be noticed. It made sense, but it also meant that it'd be the most heavily guarded place. I couldn't help but worry about it and Dimitri probably recognized that since he was quick to reassure: "Just stick to the plan and we'll be in and out in no time."

I nodded and gave him a tight-lipped smile before Adrian motioned to the hole Dimitri made and held open while saying: "Ladies first."

I slipped to the other side, careful not to get any of my clothes stuck on the cut wires and helped keep them out of the way while they joined me. Dimitri's hand flew up to his ear before he and Adrian exchanged odd looks. I immediately put the earpiece that was left hanging over my vest on, but was obviously too late to the conversation. I quirked my eyebrow, but they didn't fill me in on what I'd missed. Actually, it was quite a while before they spoke and, when it happened, it was only two words directed at me: "Stay here."

"Alone?", I hissed, making Adrian roll his eyes and Dimitri motion to my ear.

"We'll let you know when it's safe."

"What do you mean safe?", I asked, but they were already on the move.

If I didn't see them slip around the corner, I wouldn't have known I was left alone. _Talk about stealth_. I realized I'd never really seen them in action before. They looked like they were shooting a movie. The fact that Adrian chose to keep wearing his expensive suit just added to the picture.

It seemed like a small eternity passed by while I waited and listened in on the conversation between McCall and his team which mostly consisted of code words no one bothered to teach me. Then, after the longest static ever, Dimitri said my name.

I headed in the same direction the two of them went, seeing Dimitri pop up from behind a block of shipping containers and wave at me. I jogged up to him, proud of myself when I managed to keep my breathing leveled. After all, I used to end up with my heart in my throat whenever I climbed the stairs of my building so it was a big improvement. My self praising was short lived though since my mind went blank the moment I glanced past Dimitri and at Adrian. I doubled over and pushed out: "Oh God, is that blood?"

Adrian wiped his hands on his already stained suit and said: "No?"

"You're not supposed to answer that with a question", I exclaimed while he put the knife he was holding back under the suit and moved aside to reveal someone lying on the ground, someone who's throat he clearly just slit, "What happened to the fucking agenda?"

"Shit happens."

"I think I'm gonna puke", I mumbled, hearing Adrian huff.

"It's not like you haven't seen a dead body before Rose. Keep it together."

"You could've just knocked him out", I argued as he walked up to me.

"And risk him waking up before we're done? No thanks. And seriously, you're overreacting. There are over seven billion people in the world, what's one less?"

"Adrian—."

"Over seven billion people", he repeated, pulling out a flask from his pocket and handing it to me, "Quit whining and take a swing, we need to go."

I shook my head and Adrian shrugged, taking a gulp himself before he moved towards the biggest building in the compound. I realized Dimitri was unusually quiet so I glanced at him, seeing a gloomy expression stuck on his face. He must have felt my eyes on him since his soon found mine. He gave me what I figured was a weak attempt at a supportive smile and nudged me to start walking again.

"All clear", Mason's voice boomed into my ear as we walked.

"We need to hurry this along", Adrian said to Dimitri, giving him a pointed look which was followed by Dimitri taking out a gun and handing it to me.

I blinked at him in confusion, taking the gun while he said: "In case you need it, but I'm sure you won't have to use it."

"You will if someone shows up and gets nosy in which case, do yourself and us a favor and shoot them. Oh and I know it's difficult for you, but please stay here and don't do anything stupid while we're gone."

"You're asking me to kill snoopers and not do anything stupid at the same time and expecting good results?"

"No one will get past us", Dimitri cut in with a confident and determined look.

"And the chances of someone making it past McCall are pretty slim so just hang back and don't wander off. We'll be quick", Adrian said before slipping behind the heavy doors leading to the indoor facilities.

"Stay out of sight", Dimitri added, motioning at the shadow cast by a container handler parked nearby.

We parted ways and I walked up to where he indicated, settling on the side step tucked between the large tires. I kept a steady grip on the gun, leaning back until I fit into the darkness entirely. How about that patience I thought I was so good at. I fixed my eyes on the door and sighed. _Now, I wait_. And the only thing I thought of to do to pass the time while I waited was thinking. Thinking about what I'd been obsessing over for days. Dimitri _._

" _Can I die now please?", I cried, covering my eyes with my palm to shield them from the blinding gym lights._

 _Dimitri softly laughed and plopped onto the mat next to me, saying: "Relax."_

" _That's easy for you to say. I'm ahh—", I gasped as his palms slid up my calves and pressed into my tense muscles, "Oh, that's good."_

" _I know", he chuckled, massaging my sore legs while I propped myself up onto my elbows, peering at him._

 _His eyes followed the movements of his nimble fingers, but they'd slip to mine every once in a while when I sighed or gasped and sometimes even moaned. If I didn't feel like I got ran over by a truck, this would've surely turned me on. Not that it wasn't doing some funny things to me either way. Dimitri's silence didn't exactly help the matter either because it allowed me to notice how his breathing turned rapid the longer his hands roamed over my legs. This was turning him on too. That realization was enough to make my skin heat up more than it has from our sparing._

" _Where did you learn how to fight?", I burst, trying to distract us by talking._

 _His movements slowed, his eyes darting to mine when he prompted: "What?"_

" _Well you've been teaching me all these kickass techniques and I'm wondering where you learned them."_

" _Internet."_

" _Seriously?", I exclaimed, watching his face split into a grin._

" _No. I learned to fight when I was young for... self-protection and I perfected my knowledge on the streets."_

" _Like in your neighbourhood?"_

" _Like in illegal fights."_

" _What? Nah, you're messing with me", I burst, but after he quirked his eyebrow added, "You're not messing with me?"_

" _No Rose. I'm not."_

" _Why would you... do that?"_

 _He took a deep breath, his hands stilling before he said: "It's hard to find a well paid and legal job when you've barely made it through high school. And that's without taking into account that my father made things additionally difficult for my family with his business deals and allies. I knew I'd never be able to cover the bills if I didn't accept to do things no one wanted. So, I took various jobs as long as the pay was good and on one of those jobs I met a man who knew some people who organized street fights. He told me I could make a lot of money and he was right. So I did it for a while and learned from my opponents and the men I'd befriended which is how my fighting skills improved. And, after I stopped, it was easy to stay in shape between working on construction sights and living in lousy neighbourhoods."_

" _Why did you stop?"_

" _What?"_

" _The fights, why did you stop?", I prompted, pulling my legs away from him so I could wiggle closer to him and sit up._

" _Would it surprise you if I said I don't enjoy violence?"_

" _Surprise me? No, not exactly. I mean, I don't think you enjoy it, but you resort to it often."_

" _I do and I'd like to say it's because there is no other way, but—."_

 _His voice trailed off and he looked away. I reached over and touched his hand. I didn't dare hold it, afraid of crossing friendly lines, but he didn't pull away. His fingers even moved to tangle with mine almost like they did it on their own with his mind trapped somewhere it couldn't control them. If he was Adrian, this wouldn't mean anything. But he wasn't. He was different. We were different. And I knew I was playing with fire whenever I came within breathing distance with him. Still, I wanted to stay there, holding his hand forever. I was such a lovesick fool._

 _It took me a while, but I think I finally began to see why I was so drawn to him. I was wrong to think him being mysterious was what kept me interested. It was all the moments when he'd open up, when he allowed the things that tormented or excited him to slide to the surface, that I'd found myself falling for him. I was falling for him and I couldn't stop it. The man he truly was, the man behind the stone mask with all his flaws and demons, was the man I wanted to be close to. He was the reason I knew Dimitri was right when he said we'd never stick to fucking a few times and then walking away. The more I got to know him, the less I felt like I could go back to hating him. The problem was, I was more and more convinced he thought I'd feel the complete opposite._

" _Sometimes there isn't another way", I whispered as he sighed and glanced at me, "And, from what I've seen and what you've told me, you do it for the right reasons so—."_

" _Right reasons?"_

" _You resort to violence only to protect the ones you... care about."_

" _I guess", he mumbled, totally catching me off guard when he reached up to my face and brushed one wild lock of my hair away, "I'd do anything to protect the ones I... care about."_

" _So would I."_

" _I know, Roza", he said, almost making me melt when that version of my name slipped from his lips, "That's what makes you incredible."_

" _As incredible as Dimitri Belikov?", I challenged, wiggling my eyebrows._

" _Dimitri Belikov doesn't come close", he laughed dryly, but his face lit up a bit, "But maybe one day he'll do better."_

" _He already is."_

 **POV: Adrian**

 _It's been a while since I've done this_ , I thought to myself almost giddily. It was pretty obvious you were batshit crazy when you got excited over blowing things up. It was almost enough to make me forget I'd killed someone. _Almost_. Still, when I glanced down at my hands and saw the smudges of blood left on them, I felt sick and dizzy. I used to think I'd get used to it. After all, I stopped counting my kills a long time ago or at least that was what I liked to tell myself. In reality I knew the exact number and it wasn't matching my tattoos either. I knew some of them got what was coming to them, but I hated playing God.

"Done", McCall's voice came from my earpiece, "10-42."

"See you soon", Dimitri replied, then added to me, "Offline. Coming to you."

I nodded even though he couldn't see me and got up, dusting myself off. I knew Rose and I were the only ones left online, but there hadn't been a peep from her since we separated. I wondered what she was doing. I scanned the packages of cocaine in front of me and touched my mic to say: "You know Rose, if we could stick around for the blast we'd have a great time. With the amount of drugs I'd found around this place... hell, we'd be high for days."

"I don't really do drugs", she said, her voice followed by a short crackling.

"Your loss."

"Are you gonna be out soon? I'm bored."

"Any minute now. I'm just waiting for your boyfriend to arrive."

"He's not my boyfriend", she snapped before another wave of noise followed.

"Rose, stop moving so much, you're messing up the mic."

"I'm not moving."

I was sure my hearing was permanently damaged by the piercing wail that came right after her last words. I ripped the earpiece off and cursed under my breath at her before yelling into the mic: "What the hell are you doing?"

I didn't even get a chance to attach the thing back on to get her answer before a muffled bang echoed outside, followed by two more. My blood froze and so did my body. I stood still for two seconds, but those two seconds were enough to let the worst memory I had enfold in my head. The time when my mother was shot. _I left Rose alone_. _How could I be so stupid_? I reached for my gun and took a step forward just as Dimitri reappeared, his own weapon prepared to take down any threat he'd face. He scanned the hallway in a blink, asking: "Was that you?"

His question was pointless and I didn't bother responding. It took a tremendous amount of self-control to stop me from bursting through the door and shooting at anything that wasn't Rose and moved. I walked quickly though, doing my best to keep Dimitri back since my vest improved my chances over his. I was prepared for a lot of things, but I didn't expect to see what I saw when we pushed past the door. Nothing. There was no one there. Not Rose, not whoever sent those bullets flying. Not a living soul.

I motioned Dimitri to try to get in touch with her and headed left, staying close to the wall. I heard him mumble into his mic as my heart raced. After a few tries he said: "I think something's interfering with the signal."

"Someone", I corrected as I peered at him over my shoulder.

There was this odd look stuck on his face and by the time I managed to decipher it, Dimitri did something I never expected him to do. Something that put both of us in danger. Something I knew he wouldn't have done unless he was desperate. And knowing Rose could be dead or could die soon, definitely made him lose it enough to throw logic out the window.

"ROSE!", he shouted so loudly his echo rang through the yard long after we fell silent, _praying_ to hear anything that would indicate she was still breathing.

And then I heard a clear shout: "Here. Just one."

Her warning was followed by three shots hitting metal, judging by the sound. It was clever of her to do what she did. Her attacker clearly already knew where to find her, but now so did we. She not only gave us the approximate direction, but the number of people we had to watch out for which was something I vowed to thank her profusely for as soon as we were out of this shit. As we moved, I gave Dimitri a signal to split up and he nodded, mouthing _be careful._ I pointed at him and then slipped around a large, blue container. I held my breath and listened, hoping I'd hear something that would guide me. That something happened soon and it was much louder than I expected. It was two more shots and a painful cry.

 _Keep your cool, keep your cool_ , I repeated to myself, hoping I'd telepathically transfer that same mantra to Dimitri. I sprinted down the tunnel between another row of containers and then I heard a voice I didn't recognize say: "Give up. You are only gonna make things worse."

"You think you're scary?", I heard Rose bark, her voice breathy and strained, "I can tell you right now you're not. I've seen scary and you don't have his smile."

A few more steps and then I caught a glimpse of a shadow too big to be Rose's dancing over the ground. I aimed where I figured their head would be, moving a bit slower so I wouldn't attract their attention, but she provided the distraction.

"Go ahead, kill me. I'm just sorry I won't get to see what they'll do to you when they find you, but I'm sure it'll be _fun_."

"You talk too much."

"I couldn't agree more", I said, slipping behind the man and pulling the trigger before he could move. _Clean shot, right in the head_.

He dropped down and I wasted no time approaching Rose who was sprawled on the ground. She sat up as I crouched next to her, biting her lips and pinching her eyes shut. I put my hand under her chin and nudged her head up while asking: "Did he hit you?"

She nodded, instinctively moving her hand to her left arm to clutch to her biceps as I leaned in closer. I heard heavy footsteps echoing behind us, but knew it was Dimitri because of how calm Rose stayed. I pried her fingers away and saw they were stained with blood. Dimitri grabbed my shoulder and, for a second, I could almost feel his inner battle — rip me away from Rose and rush her the hell out of here or let me deal with it and keep his composure. In the end, probably for a very simple reason like his lack of calmness, he allowed me to take the lead, his grip on me loosening when he asked: "How bad is it?"

I wasn't sure who the question was directed at, but Rose answered, wincing as I touched my way around the wound: "Not too bad... I think."

"It just grazed you", I reassured, glancing up at Dimitri, "She'll be alright."

He nodded, but I didn't miss how unconvinced he looked. Actually, the longer I watched him, the more I became aware of how freaked out he seemed. Rose had a flesh wound. I saw it with my own eyes. But if I hadn't, if I had only seen the way Dimitri was looking at her, I would've assumed she was holding her guts in her hands. Even if I ignored the paleness of his face and the fact that his pupils were blown so wide his eyes looked like pools of black, the way he fixated on Rose was enough to let me know he was scared half to death. I've seen that look on him. He gave it to me once. It was the look that screamed _I'm never letting you out of my sight again_. Only there was a dose of something else in those dark eyes now. A dose of a different kind of _devotion_.

"I wouldn't be", Rose muttered, snapping me out of my thoughts, "I'd be so not okay if you didn't make me wear this thing."

She touched the part of the vest covering her ribs and that was when I noticed a bullet jabbed in the material there. I gulped, thanking the almighty I made her wear the damn thing. _She wouldn't have survived if I didn't_. I wrapped my arms around her instinctively and pulled her into a hug. She dug her fingers into my jacket, gripping it tightly as she buried her face into my chest and mumbled: "I'm okay."

"I'm sorry."

"I know so, do me a favour, don't leave me behind ever again."

"I promise", I whispered into her ear before I let go of her.

"You two and your post-chaotic promises", she grumbled while she tried to get herself back on her feet.

I probably would've asked what she meant by it if I wasn't too busy worrying. As soon as she moved, her breath cut in half. I tried to help her, but Dimitri reacted faster, grabbing her before she could do more damage to herself. He picked her up despite her protests and I couldn't help but think back to when he carried her the last time she was hurt. Sure, she was still against being treated like she was fragile, but this time her body didn't seem to follow her argument. I could see clearly how she melted into his embrace and made it easier for him to hold her even when she said: "I can walk Comrade. Put me down, will you?"

"You can, but you shouldn't."

"You're bossy", she whined as I turned around and glanced at the guy who I felt sorry for killing so quick after what he'd done to Rose.

"I'm worried. There's a difference", I heard Dimitri argue while I fixed on the man's face.

"Wait, I know him. That's—."

"Spiridon", Dimitri and Rose said in unison.

"He works for Andrea. God damnit... those pizza makers are in fucking trouble. And this guy, ugh, I knew I should've killed him when I first had a chance."

"He got off easy", Dimitri said, his nose crunching before his eyes peeled away from him and he turned to leave with Rose still in his arms.

"Hold up", I said, taking out my gun and aiming it at the body.

I emptied my clip, the shots ringing through the night almost deafeningly. When I was done, I turned back to Dimitri and Rose, adding: "Now we can go."

Neither of them looked away while I took my anger out on the dead guy and no one said anything afterwards. Both wore expressions that were a mix of disgust and satisfaction, but there was also a dose of guilt that surprised me. I knew how Dimitri felt about killing, but he never showed how much it bothered him, wore it for everyone to see. It was odd, especially since the man harmed Rose and, for that, deserved much worse than either of us could do to him now.

"It's weird", Rose mumbled as we headed out.

"What's weird?", Dimitri asked while I texted McCall who called me two times since the shooting began.

"I don't think he was trying to kill me."

"He shot you two times!", I exclaimed, looking over at her as she tilted her head to get a better look at me while answering.

"I know, but it seemed like he was putting in a lot of effort not to hit anything vital. I don't know why."

"Perhaps Andrea will tell me before I end him. Either way, he's going to regret the day he decided to hire this prick."

"Do you really think it's wise to pick a fight with the people who're supposed to be our allies?"

Before I got a chance to answer, I heard Dimitri nearly whisper to her: "He'll do anything to protect the ones he cares about too."

I dialed McCall as Rose nodded thoughtfully and nestled into Dimitri's embrace since all of her protest died down when her adrenaline level dropped. I saw our car and knew we were at a safe distance when McCall picked up. I had only one order for him: "Blow 'em up."

* * *

 **I'm back! Yaaaay! Sorry for leaving y'all hanging, but ehhh LIFE! My exams are finally over and, for everyone who's been wondering, they went great! I'll be going on a vacation in a week which is actually great since it'll give me a hell of a lot of time to write so I can give you guys some new content! One of the reviewers asked me if I still have pre-written chapters and the answer to that is: I have only ONE left! Sooo I'm looking forward to sunny beaches, cocktails and diving back into the MW world on my laptop! Hopefully my WIFI will be good enough to allow me to post while I'm out of town, but either way I'm getting back into the writing game folks!**

 **Today's chapter... what do y'all think? I know you've been craving Romitri and though I'm sure this isn't exactly what you were hoping for, I still think some pretty cool stuff went down in this chapter! Let me know what y'all think!**

 **Question of the week: Are you going on a vacation this summer and if you are where will you go? I'm pretty much screaming: Greece, here I come baby! I'm a week away from diving into that crystal, salty water and I honestly can't wait!**

 **Songs: Diamond Eyes - Shinedown, Black Wave - K. Flay**

 **P.S. Have a great weekend everyone! XOXO T!**


	33. CH33 - Beyond the Walls

**POV: Rose**

I readjusted the bandage on my arm and sighed. The pain was mostly gone now, leaving me to simply be irritated by the itching of the tightly wrapped material. I rolled my hair tie down over my palm, snapping it around my locks a few times to create a ponytail. I was about to head to the shower when someone knocked on the door. I cleared my throat and shouted: "Go ahead, but I'm fine Adrian. You don't have to check on me every five minutes.

"I'm not here to check on you", Dimitri voiced, surprising me enough to make me lose my balance a little when I spun around to face him.

He closed the door and then leaned on it, taking his usual statue pose. Unlike me he'd already changed and cleaned up, his cologne filling my room instantly. For a moment, I caught myself wondering how long it'd take to air that heady scent out. There'd be no sleeping for me if all I could smell was Dimitri. I knitted my fingers together to calm my suddenly nervous hands and prompted: "Why are you here then?"

He pushed himself away from the door and walked up to me, coming to a stop a mere inch away. One of his hands moved in-between our faces while his fingers loosened, a thick chain rolling away from them to dangle in the space filled with our shallow breaths. I slowly scanned the chain down to the little ball hanging at the bottom. _No, not a ball_. My eyes flickered to Dimitri's as he said: "I came to give you this."

"My bullet", I whispered, picking it up to take a better look.

He let go and the chain slid over the back of my hand. He stepped back, but was still close enough for me to have trouble forming words when I asked: "But I... I thought—, isn't it supposed to be the first bullet you dig out of your body, not your bulletproof vest?"

"I made an acception", he chuckled softly, a small smile spreading over his lips.

And then the strangest thing happened. He blushed. _Visibly_. It was shocking to see him bashful, but it was also somehow very reassuring. It meant he wasn't going to hide behind his facade. Not this time. And that gave me hope. Perhaps, he'd decided to do what I wanted all along. Perhaps my tactic worked. His eyes fled to the floor as he mumbled: "I know you already have a necklace you wear all the time, but I—, Adrian and I thought you'd like to have this as well."

"Thank you", I said before I remembered to add, "And Adrian, of course."

"Of course", he confirmed as I suddenly found myself with nothing to do or say.

I glanced at the bullet again and, despite the momentary awkwardness between us, grinned. _I was officially a part of the team now_. I had no idea why that made me feel such an intense rush of excitement. I guess it was kind of awesome and cool to think of myself as a badass and a rebel. Little Renegade, as Adrian put it.

"Here, let me—", he offered, motioning me to turn around.

I handed him the necklace as he stepped behind me. I felt his breath on the back of my neck when he leaned forward. Goosebumps spread all over me when his fingers grazed my skin as he clasped the chain around my neck. He didn't move away when he was done. Instead, he placed his palm on my shoulder and moved his other hand over my bandage so gently I barely felt his touch.

"Does it hurt?"

His question baffled me. He'd been shot several times, winding up with injuries far more severe than mine. He knew how much pain a shot to each part of your body could cause. He told me so himself. He knew plenty about pain — mental and physical. Yet, he seemed genuinely worried about me. It was nothing more than a flesh wound and that was exactly what I said to him as I brushed off: "No it's fine. Besides, you and Adrian dealt with worse on more than one occasion, so I'm not gonna start bitching about a scratch."

"It's not just a scratch", he protested, but I turned to face him with a reassuring, bold and adamant smile.

"It's not a big deal."

He fell silent, staring at me while pondering on something intensely judging by his expression. I was caught off guard when he reached up and slipped his hand around my neck, his thumb gliding my jawline while he spoke in a raspy voice: "You're very brave."

"Me? No, Comrade, I'm a chickenshit."

"You're the furthest from it", he contrasted, his chocolate eyes running over my lips. By that gesture he made it clear what he was about to do.

He leaned in and caught my bottom lip, gently sucking on it. I gasped when he pulled me flush against his chest, parting my lips to give him more territory to conquer. When we kissed before, we were always fueled by hunger and passion, ripping into each other, fighting for... well, I didn't even know what we were fighting for or over most of the time. Now his kiss was light, sensual, emotional. I melted into him and gave in, feeling a new kind of weakness in my legs.

His hands moved down my body as he bowed slightly, lifting me as effortlessly as always, and twirled us around so that he stood next to the bed. He sat down, pulling me into his lap until we were pressed together as much as our position allowed. When he broke our kiss and looked at me, I somehow managed to find my voice and push out: "I thought you said this... couldn't happen again."

"I did", he whispered, running his index finger down my cheek.

I curled my fingers into his T-shirt, trying to find something to hold onto so I'd stop myself from pouncing on him and asked: "Then what are you doing?"

"Something I've never done before", he replied, giving the rest of his words a little thought before making my heart leap with them, "Breaking my word."

Our lips found their way back to each other and stayed glued until I breathed in the wonderful smell of his shower gel which made another, less needy part of my brain buck up. I pushed against him until he released me and frowned. I saw worry spreading over his beautiful face and, before I could even form a coherent thought, he stuttered: "I-I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't have—."

"No", I breathed out, "No, I just need to shower. I didn't get a chance to, you know, do that before you came here and did... _this_."

He blinked at me in utter confusion and then a rumble started from his stomach, quickly transforming into full-fledged laughter that made me unable to keep a straight face. He cupped my cheeks and fixed his eyes on mine. They held a spark unlike any I'd seen before while he whispered: "You're the most amazing woman I've ever met."

"Ditto", I blurted, wanting to facepalm myself after realizing how stupid that sounded, "I mean man. The most amazing man because you're obviously _not_ a woman."

He shook his head, grinning when he leaned in for another searing kiss. I wasn't letting him distract me though. Not again. I wiggled out of his lap and steadied myself on my feet before I announced: "I really need that shower. I'm dirty and stinky and just purely yuck."

"Not to me", he tried, but I already backed away and out of his reach.

"Can you wait for me? I'll be quick."

"Can I come with you?", he questioned which almost made me faint.

"You—, um, sure, I—", I mumbled as he stood up and pressed his index finger against my lips to silence me. _Ah, there is the cocky Dimitri I'm used to seeing_.

He took my hand and wordlessly led me to the bathroom. Once we got there I became stuck to my spot while I watched him reach for the collar of his shirt and tug it over his head. _Sweet Jesus, I'm never gonna stop drooling over this man's muscles, am I?_ He noticed my appreciative ogle and smiled, turning to expose his chest to me as I leaned against the sink and tried very hard to act unbothered. When he reached for the buckle of his pants and began undoing it, I decided to stick my head into the vanity and find wipes to take my makeup off and have an excuse to hide my flushed face while at it. He was very patient and very naked by the time I was done. I think I might've tripped over my own feet a little as I moved closer to the shower.

I reached for the hem of my shirt, but he nudged my hands away and did the undressing for me. I never paid much attention to my clothes coming off before. Dimitri somehow made it the most sensual thing ever and he hadn't even begun doing anything special. When I was left with nothing but my panties, he kneeled in front of me, sliding them agonizingly slow down my legs while leaving a few feathery kisses below my navel. His hair tickled my stomach, but before I could wiggle away, his lips touched a particularly low point on the trail he was moving down and I suddenly had trouble breathing. I supported myself on his shoulders because, between the exhaustive few hours I'd had and his activities, I was beginning to doubt my capability of staying upright on my own.

When he stood up, he turned the water on and stepped into the shower, tugging me along. It poured down his head until he moved back to give me space, leaving the stream to flow right between us. Droplets fell from the tips of his wet hair which made him look adorable. I foolishly grinned at him, making him ask: "What?"

"You have this amazing ability to look extremely sexy and extremely cute at the same time. It's very unfair to the rest of us mortals."

"Coming from the unearthly beautiful woman like you, that statement loses a bit of its meaning, but I'm still flattered", he teased, but all I could pay attention to was the word beautiful. I was so dazed that I winded up blinking at him like an idiot when he handed me the soap and added: "Didn't the lady wish to shower?"

"Right", I mumbled, quickly rubbing soap onto myself as he reached behind me and tugged my hair loose before pulling me under the shower.

This time, our kiss was steamy and not just because of the hot spray of water tumbling down our heads. He shifted until I was pushed up against the wall and I thought to myself that the only difference between his abs and the tiles digging into my back was that he was warmer and way more entertaining. I was sure I'd never showered so clumsily and was surprised I didn't flood the entire bathroom in the process because of Dimitri's teasing. He'd let me go and spin me back over and over, constantly finding inventive ways to distract me, but never taking things anywhere particular.

Finally, with a towel secured around my body and one hanging loosely from his hips, we made it out of the fog and back into my room. I had no more excuses to push him away, not that I wanted any, so I let him lead me backwards until I fell onto my bed and he ably climbed over me, pinning me down. He snuck his hand under my towel, that beyond all reason managed to stay put, and slid it up my thigh while his tongue moved over my bottom lip. I was impatient, hooking my legs around him to try to pull him closer, but he resisted me, just like he resisted my attempts to roll us over. When I growled into his mouth in disapproval, he pulled away a little, his lips ghosting over mine while he chuckled: "You won't win this time, Rose. I've wanted you for far too long."

"I'd hate to burst your bubble Comrade, but you already had me... a few times."

"Not like this", he replied, his hand that was roaming over my body moving to push the tucked corner of the towel up until the whole thing unrolled and left me exposed to him completely, "And it's Dimitri."

"Huh?", I breathed out as he pulled the towel from underneath me and threw it away.

"I'll admit, I've come to like that—", he began saying, leaving tiny pecks across my jawline and throat, " _Ridiculous_ nickname. But, right now, it's Dimitri."

"It's not ridiculous", I protested as he ducked to kiss my collarbone, "Comrade is an awesome nickname."

"Roza", he growled against my chest, making me shiver, "Don't be stubborn."

"Ha, yeah, that's not—", I began, but trailed off when he sucked my nipple into his mouth.

I was incoherent for solid ten minutes, possibly more, as his tongue deftly rolled over each of my nipples, his teeth grazing them in a way that made me squirm underneath him. As if that wasn't enough, his fingers snuck their way between my legs and I was lost. I closed my eyes and threw my head back which turned out to be a bad decision since it made him stop what he was doing. He gripped my chin and made me face him again whispering: "So how will you call me?"

"Comrade", I retorted proudly, making a devilish smile spread over his face.

He took off his towel, nestling between my legs further until his very stiff organ pressed right up against me. I bit my lips hard, begging myself to let him have this one so I could... well, have him. _Though where is the fun in that_? He turned his attention back to my chest and I gripped the sheets so tightly I could feel my nails digging into my palms through them. He didn't speak anymore, he didn't have to. We both knew his question was still there, lingering in the air. He positioned himself at my entrance after awhile and glanced up at me, willing me to speak. I kept my mouth shut even when he moved forward and all I wanted to do was gasp in relief. But I could definitely not keep my mouth shut when he stopped almost immediately, leaving me even needier than before.

"Really? That's your play? That's not going to work, Comrade."

"It's already working", he responded confidently, pushing into me again slightly before freezing. I almost cried out _oh, come on, do me already_ , but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction. He continued his sweat torture and I hoped he'd drive himself mad faster than he could do the same thing to me. For someone who called _me_ stubborn, he sure was just as bad. Possible even worse.

His hands and lips were everywhere, burning my skin as they touched, pressed, kissed, licked and bit all the right places with perfect timing. It was as if he was reading my mind when it begged him to pay attention to the parts that felt left out since he didn't have enough fingers or more than one pair of lips to cover them with. I was on the verge of bursting when he buried himself into me and a loud moan escaped me. His head nuzzled against the side of my neck before he nibbled my earlobe and whispered: "Say it Roza."

I almost did, I almost gave in. When he plunged into me again I squeezed my eyes shut so hard tears welled up in them. The third time he did it, he won. _Yes, it was that ease to break me_. Or well, it was that ease for _him_ to break me. I was holding back so much, I winded up literally screaming: "Dimitri. Dimitri. Okay, it's Dimitri."

"Good girl", he whispered and I completely fell apart.

How could this happen? How could one man go from deadly serious to scary and then shy, confident, cocky, INCREDIBLY cocky and so many other things, all one after the other in a head spinning twirl? How could he have the ability to shake me to my core and ground me like nothing else in the world? How could he make me fall so incredibly hard for him and still leave me unable to admit it to him or myself? He was truly one of a kind.

He picked up his pace until we were both shaking, ready to combust. I repeated his name over and over, but he'd muffle my words with his lips so often it came out in a mix of a moan, plea and _Dimitri_. I dug my nails into his back, fearing he was going to make me float away from earth if I didn't hold onto something. As a matter of fact, holding onto him was a perfect idea. I didn't really care if I was going to heaven or hell, just as long as he was coming with me.

 _Tangled_. That was my new favorite word. It was perfect to describe everything I was surrounded with and a part of. The hand he held over mine, glued to the bed above my head, fingers laced together. The one he held in my hair, my wild locks wrapping around it like vines. The sheets that trapped one of my legs while I hooked the other around him. All of it... a beautiful, tangled mess. After, the way he let me curl up to him and stay in that state where I wasn't sure where he began and I ended, it was perfect. It was just right.

"Are you okay?", Dimitri whispered as I sighed into his chest, nuzzling my head against his shoulder.

Instead of answering I purred into his skin, feeling more than hearing him let an uneven, soft chuckle past his lips. He traced delicate patterns over my back with the tips of his fingers while I continued to lay in his embrace. I tilted my head to look at him, my heart soaring when I saw the lazy, but content tug of his lips.

"You know", I started, playfully walking my fingers over his chest, "This is the first time we did it in the bed. It's nice, not having to rub grass stains off my body. Or having bruises on my butt from the kitchen counter."

He laughed, but I should've known my words would remind him of the bruise on my ribs from the bullet he gave me earlier. He gingerly brushed it and asked: "It didn't hurt when—?"

"Comrade, I so didn't pay attention to that."

"Again with Comrade?", he exclaimed, his eyebrow quirking.

"You're not fucking me so the nickname makes a comeback."

"And who said I was done fucking you?", he challenged, his teasing suggestion, raspy voice and the devilish glint of his eyes making me wet in a blink.

"Oh yeah?", I shot, pushing myself up to attack his lips and then, to both of our surprises, stopping just before I reached them.

"What's wrong?", he asked, tucking my hair back and gently tracing the edge of my earlobe with his index finger.

"Was this... are we still friends?"

"Do you want us to be friends?", he prompted, making me frown at him.

"Don't answer my question with a question. You know what I mean."

He took a deep, steadying breath before mumbling: "No, we're not _just_ friends."

"Are you sure? Cause you made it clear—."

"Rose", he cut in, fixing his dark eyes on mine, "I'm done resisting. I think you, after what we'd just done and how we'd done it, might've noticed that. I want to give us a shot, if that's what you want of course."

"I do", I mumbled, looking away.

"Maybe you want to try that with a little more confidence", he prompted, a dose of worry lacing his voice.

"I do, Dimitri. It's just that—, well I know almost nothing about you and if you won't let me in then—."

"Ask me."

"What?"

"Anything you want to know, just ask me."

"Really?", I questioned, finally dearing to meet his gaze again.

"Yes."

"And you'll answer anything I ask?"

"Yes."

"You won't lie?"

"No, Roza", he chuckled, hugging me to him more tightly, "I won't lie."

Million questions raced through my head in a nanosecond. I tried to think of any that wouldn't be loaded, but I kept coming back to the ones about was his past. I knew his past was what made him the man he was today, knew Adrian wouldn't talk about it for a reason. This might be my one chance to get to know him like I wanted to for a while now. _Would I mess up if I pressed somewhere vulnerable_?

"Tell me about your family", I started carefully, bracing myself when I decided to add, " _All_ of your family."

I knew he understood me, but I didn't really expect him to start with the heavy stuff first. I was hungry for information though, so I soaked up every word as he said: "My grandparents met when they were very young. I didn't get a chance to meet my grandfather myself, he died long before I was born, but I heard great things about him. He and my grandmother were quite different, but made a perfect pair. He was a doctor and she was an astrologer. They lived in a small town with a lot of close-minded people so I guess that was the reason he was admired for his honorable profession and she was looked down on. Nobody believed there was any use of her field and some people even called her a witch. My grandfather supported her calling though."

"Astrologer, like stars, Zodiacs and stuff?"

"And stuff", he said with a bit of a mischievous smile, "She has a _gift_ that has nothing to do with her knowledge of the stars. If you believe in such things."

"I don't really. Do you?"

"I don't know. She definitely made me question my beliefs a few times."

I hummed and kept my mouth shut, not really wanting to go into a debate about supernatural gifts and waste time. He took a moment, getting lost in his thoughts before adding: "My mother was near graduation when my grandfather passed. With him gone, she took it upon herself to take care of my grandmother both emotionally and financially. Instead of going to college, she started working as a waitress in a local pub. It was there that she'd met my... _father_."

I noticed how hard it was for Dimitri to say the word father not just by his tone, but by how much his body tensed. I instinctively kissed his shoulder, tightening my hold on him until I felt some of the tension leave. He fell silent so I butted in with the first question that came to mind: "And what do your sisters do?"

"Karolina is a nurse and Sonya works in daycare. Vika is the first in our family to go to college. Adrian helped finance Karo's night school and Vika's college, you know."

"That's very nice of him."

"It is. He promised that as part of our arrangement, but I never thought he'd do so much for my family."

"And what was your arrangement? And why did you make it?"

"I have to tell you more about my past before I get to that particular part."

"Then tell me."

"Patience", he chuckled, picking up a strand of my hair to twirl it around his finger before indulging me, "Randall owned a strip club and when my mother started dating him, he offered her a job there. As a waitress, of course. She knew what kind of business he was really in though, but she was in love so she chose to turn a blind eye. We never talked about him much, but my mother once said he used to be different than what my sisters and I remember. She never denied he was violent, but his violence used to be turned towards his enemies, not his family. Sadly, by the time I was on the way, things changed."

He paused, letting the information sink in and I found myself thinking about the last conversation we had in the gym again. I knew even before he began sharing his story with me, violence bothered him. Now, I realized there was more to it than I initially thought. I was well aware it was a part of his and Adrian's life, a part of mine too, but had no idea his childhood was the root of the problem. The reason he hated resorting to it.

"I'm not sure if my mother really loved him enough to stick with him or was too afraid to leave, but it wasn't until she realized his plans to include me into his affairs and the very world that made him a monster that she dared to think about leaving. It was when she found bruises on Karo's skin and saw me playing with a loaded gun that she actually packed her bags, picked up her children and ran."

Dimitri's entire face seemed to darken, his whole body going rigid as he said: "I was seven when he showed up at our doorstep. We just got used to having some resemblance of a normal life and then he came, shattering it to pieces. I thought he'd let us go, forget about us, but he didn't. He wasn't mad my mother left him and took his children for the reasons any other person would be. No, he thought she made a fool of him. Hurting her was his revenge for it. He—."

His voice trailed off and he pushed against the headboard to straighten up. I let him pull me with him, clutching to him as he pushed out: "Victoria wasn't born out of love."

And then it all made sense. When we were kidnapped, when Keith tried to have his way with me... Dimitri didn't bash his skull in just because he made a deal to protect me or because he wanted to save me. He said it himself, he wanted Keith to pay, to feel unimaginable pain. He said he did it because Keith tried to harm me, but that was only a part of the reason. I swallowed a gulp of air that seemed somehow tinner all of a sudden and whispered: "You saw it?"

"I tried to stop it, but I was a kid and he was a grown man", he replied, his gaze drifting away from me, "I didn't stand a chance."

I felt my eyes prick so I did the only thing I thought of to soothe us both. I made him face me with a gentle nudge of his chin and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. I leaned my forehead against his and breathed out: "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"I made you talk about... _relive_ that. I shouldn't have—."

"Roza", he whispered, wrapping his arms around me almost protectively, "I said I'd be honest and as painful as it is to talk about some of my past, it's still a part of my life, a part of who I am. I want you to know. But if it's too much—."

"No", I cut in, pulling away to look at him, "No, I can handle it."

"Well, in that case", he said, clearing his throat to steady his voice, "Before he could kill all of us, my grandmother came back home and chased him away with a shotgun. We went into hiding until he ended up in jail. We thought that'd be the end of our problems, but we wasted so much time running from him it was hard to get back on track. We had to start over and that wasn't easy because, even though Randall was gone, most of his allies were still around. And they had ties everywhere. So we had to be on the lookout and find ways to survive."

"Ways like?"

"Cutting ties with everyone, moving around, taking jobs off the books—."

We fell silent for a few moments, both of us getting lost in our thoughts before I prompted: "So how did you meet Adrian? Cause I'm pretty sure it wasn't in an illegal fight or on a construction sight."

"No, it wasn't", Dimitri chuckled, sighing before he added, "But I met someone else on a construction sight. The friend I once mentioned to you. Ivan Zeklos."

"Wait, I'm sorry, his last name is Zeklos. Like Jesse?"

"Yes. But he was nothing like his cousin. He was actually a lot like Adrian, only less—."

"Crazy?", I prompted when he trailed off.

"Definitely", he laughed, glancing at the door almost like he expected Adrian to pop up there after being mentioned, "And like Adrian, he wanted a normal life. And for a while he had it. It wasn't a picnic, but once he and I became friends, it was easier to pull through because we weren't alone anymore."

"So, what happened to him? You said he—."

"His demons eventually caught up. He was killed and I'm pretty sure Jesse was behind it."

"Why?", I asked in a shaky voice, feeling sick thinking about all that man I once shared my bed with has done before, during and after he was with me.

"I don't know, but I was hell bent on finding out even though I knew picking a fight with Jesse was nothing short of reckless. I couldn't let it go. I was so angry and wanted to make him pay for what he did to Ivan. So, I tracked the men who murdered him, hoping I'd make them sell Jesse out. Stupid, I know, but I wasn't thinking clearly. And then things went terribly wrong and I had to fight my way out—", he paused, guilt filling every inch of his eyes before he mumbled, "And I killed them... _all_ of them. I became a monster with blood on his hands that will never get washed away. I hated myself for what I'd done, I still do. I chose to go down a path I could never come back from. A path where redemption wasn't an option."

"But you were—, you had to kill them, right? You would've died if you didn't."

"And the world would be better off", he mumbled, making me sit up in protest.

"But your grandmother and mother wouldn't. Your sisters wouldn't. Adrian and I wouldn't."

His eyes locked with mine, lips tugging into something closer to a wince than a smile. It seemed like he'd fight me, argue I was wrong, but in the end he simply chose to continue his story. I let him, mostly out of curiosity, but also because it was clear his mind was set on how he viewed himself. Words weren't going to change that, actions were. I promised myself to _show_ him he was wrong, in any way I could, however long it took.

"I wanted to turn myself in after what I'd done, but before I could, Adrian came to me. I knew who he was and I nearly slammed the door into his face, but there was something about him... well, you know him, he's hard to say no to. He was aware of what my life was like, heard of what I'd done and knew of the target I had on my back the moment I crossed one of the most powerful families in my country. I deserved to rot in jail for my crime, but I wanted nothing more than to protect my family. Adrian gave me a chance to do that. He gave me a way out. I came to work for him and, in return, he made all of my problems disappear."

"He covered it up?"

"And took care of my family."

"Why? I mean, why did he choose you? Because of your desperation?"

"I used to think so, but I'd learned nothing is ever that simple with Adrian. I still don't quite know why, but I don't need to. He has my loyalty. He's earned it. I'll stay by his side until I die."

"Do you love him?"

"I'm not sure love is something I'm capable of anymore. But I care about him."

I nodded and sunk onto his chest, letting a rush of thoughts sweep over my mind while we fell silent. Dimitri didn't attempt to continue the conversation, neither did I. I was spent. I stayed curled in his arms, the sound of his steady heartbeat relaxing me slowly.

Before I fell asleep, his last words flew through my mind again. I didn't know what him giving in meant. He said we weren't just friends. We weren't fuck buddies either. Not after this. But I couldn't figure out where to go from here. Start a relationship? What would be the point? He promised not to lie to me so he meant it when he said love wasn't in the cards. Even if it was, how long before one of us dies? How long before all of this ends and we go our separate ways? He said we wouldn't be able to walk away from this, but he also said he wouldn't walk away from Adrian. _I had to_. My old life was waiting for me. It changed, but it was still waiting. Could the two of them really fit into it?

I was seconds away from drifting into oblivion when one last thought popped into my head: _stay in the now_. And I fully intended to do so.

* * *

 **Surprise, I'm early! Less than a day early, but still early! XD I decided to post this chapter before I leave for my vacation just in case I don't find good WIFI tomorrow! Finally, lots of Romitri for you guys plus a Dimitri background story! WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK? I've been excited about this chapter every since I wrote it and now it's finally here! Warning: If I don't respond to your reviews and PMs straight away, blame my lack of internet! Warning no. 2: If I don't post on schedule next weekend, blame the internet again! Though I do hope it'll all be okay!**

 **Question of the week: Do you have siblings and if so how many of them? It's a totally random question, (potentially on my mind cause Dimitri talked about his big family here)! I have to admit I always kind of envy those who get to love and hate (depending on the day and occasion hahaha) their brothers and sisters! It gets lonely being an only child sometimes, but I do admit it has its perks :)**

 **Thanks for reading! XOXO T!**

 **Songs: Bad Things - Jace Everett, Paper Love - Allie X**


	34. CH34 - Past and Present

**POV: Dimitri**

It started the way it always did. I felt like a fly on the wall — idle, watching and waiting. Ivan's laughter spilled through the room. His blue eyes filled with tears which he tried blinking away. He hit his thigh with his palm repeatedly, bending over to catch his breath. Tasha's dress twirled around her as she spun towards the kitchen, two glasses in hands. She quieted, he didn't. She opened the fridge, taking the icy cold bottle from it. The bottle almost slipped through her fingers. It was because of condensation not tipsiness, at least that's what she'd say. She twisted the cap open sloppily, filling the glasses when the front door bell rang.

"Who is it?", Ivan yelled, too lazy to get up.

Tasha peered over her shoulder at him, her eyes questioning. She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall above his head. She must have thought: _it's too early for it to be Dimitri_. He probably thought the same, repeating his question. A yell from outside notified them it was the postman. Her second thought: _It's too late in the day for a postman_. But Ivan shrugged and stood up, his feet wobbly. He stumbled and knocked into the coffee table. She suppressed a giggle, returning the bottle to the fridge. She picked up her glass, noticing a mosquito had fallen inside. He fought to get out, but his wings were drenched, his legs helplessly kicking up. She made a disgusted face, spilling the contents down the drain then leaving the glass in the sink. The front door opened just as she stepped into the pantry — _who puts dishes in there_?

The odd placement of kitchenware saved her life.

"Vlad", Ivan said before sounds of struggle spilled through the apartment.

Three men pushed their way in while he scrambled to get away. He managed to get halfway to the kitchen. They were close behind. He caught a glimpse of Tasha standing frozen beside the pantry. A second. That was the time he had before those men saw her as well. A second he used to give her a wordless warning. His eyes shifted to give an order. She followed it.

"There's nowhere to run Ivan", a rough, cold voice warned.

Tasha dress slipped around the door of the pantry before it soundlessly closed. It was timed perfectly, the men surrounded Ivan and he indeed had nowhere to run just like she wouldn't have had. He saw knives slip into their palms, knives that were hidden in the darkness of their sleeves. He always dreaded this day would come. He envisioned all the scenarios. He never thought of this one. He thought they'd use guns. It was quick, efficient, sometimes even the quietest way. Tasha was never a part of any of his wild guesses. And he didn't think it'd happen this soon.

Ivan prayed. Not to live because that wasn't a possibility. Not to die quick for it was clear that wouldn't happen either. He prayed that they'd leave as soon as he was dead. Because if they found Tasha, heaven knew what they'd do to her. She was an innocent, but they wouldn't care. And if Dimitri arrived, he'd fight them until his last breath.

He didn't flinch when the first stab came or closed his eyes when pain spread through his body. He didn't scream or tried to fight back.

"Your cousin sends his regards", Tasha heard someone say, her hand over her mouth and nose, shaky body curled up on the floor of the pantry.

"J-jesse can."

 _Cough_.

"Go."

 _Gurgle_. Tasha's heart raced, fear sending chills down her spine. Ivan choked on his drink earlier. It sounded like it was happening to him again. She knew it was someone's hands around his neck or his own blood causing it this time though.

"F-fuck himself-f."

Silence settled. Not complete silence, but that eerie kind. The one that makes all hairs on your body stand on end. The one that made Tasha's breath shallow until she could hardly breathe at all. Sharp noises would break the silence. Or, maybe, they just seemed sharp because she was paying so much attention to them. Then Ivan's prayers were heard. The men walked away.

Tasha let out a shaky breath, crawling out of the pantry as soon as the front door closed. Maybe she should've waited, but luck was on her side. They were going to send a clean up crew later. She'd be gone by then. She wanted to push herself to her feet, but couldn't. However, she didn't have to crawl for long before she ran into an unmoving body, covered in blood. Ivan's eyes were still open, the blue of them dim as mist. She cried. I did too.

But then something changed. There were only two ways this nightmarish, awful and torturous memory ended. This dream that I kept dreaming. I'd stop being an idle fly and turn into myself, finding Tasha sobbing with Ivan's head in her lap. The alternative: I'd wake up. Either way, I'd feel cold seeping into my bones, a contrast to the sticky, warm sweat covering my body. Emptiness would settle in, my soul its old home. This time though, I felt warm and safe. Fear was nowhere in sight. I woke up, but didn't jolt awake. I woke up... and I wasn't alone.

Rose was nestled in the crook of my arm, her head resting on my chest. Her hair was sprawled over my shoulder, her leg and arm draped over me. She hadn't put anything on before we fell asleep and the covers she was swaddled in did a poor job at covering her after all her tossing and turning. Her exposed breasts pressed into my ribs with every heave of her chest, her crotch glued to my thigh. As the last remnants of my dream left my brain, I became fully aware of our closeness. I could get used to it. Or at least I thought I could. Whether I _should_ remained a question I was starting to realize would never disappear. But when she stirred, a small movement that caused her to roll back a little, I felt all worries, dilemmas and thoughts abandon me. Unquenching hunger settling in.

I lifted the hand that wasn't pinned by her and brushed my fingers over the soft skin of her stomach. I traced a delicate line to the swell of her breast, but turned back quickly. She stirred again when my fingers found their way to the hot parts pressed against my thigh. She purred, a reaction I was sure was involuntary with her brain still engaged in a world far away from this one. I couldn't help smiling as she unconsciously accomodated to my touch. When I reached up again, teasing her nipple until it hardened, she finally woke up. Her eyes didn't open, not right away, but I knew by the lack of laziness in her movements and the soft gasp that escaped her, she was aware of what was happening.

I continued my ministrations, my hand going back and forth between her most needy pleasure points until she moaned and her eyes fluttered open. _Oh she was awake alright_ , my mind rejoiced when our eyes met, desire burning in hers just like I knew it burned in mine. I slowly sunk my fingers into her hot and already wet core, making her arch her back in an attempt to get closer. I moved towards her to plant a kiss on her plump lips, but never made it there.

A knock on the door was followed by a short warning: "I hope you're descent."

"Adrian, n—", she tried, but the door swung open and we only managed to pull the covers up so he wouldn't see _everything_. He definitely saw enough though.

It was rare for Adrian Ivashkov to be left speechless. Shame was a foreign word to him and he was definitely difficult to surprise. But when he burst into Rose's room and saw us in her bed, he froze. His eyes went wide before travelling back and forth between Rose and me in shock. After his persistent teasing, I thought the idea of us being together wouldn't be unexpected. Clearly, I was wrong.

"For fuck's sake, you've gotta stop doing that", Rose burst, pulling the covers to her chest before sitting up.

"Well this is—", Adrian started, but when his voice trailed off and his eyes met mine once again, chose to say: "We're going on a road trip. I'll let you guys, ah, finish up. Just be quick about it."

He turned on his heel and marched out the door, closing it harshly. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and fell back against the pillows. I looked at Rose who turned towards me, her annoyed expression morphing into a grin as she said: "I think he's cool with us."

A second of silence longer and we both burst into laughter. As uncomfortable as the situation was, Rose was right in a way. If Adrian had a problem with this, he would've voiced his opinions long before we winded up here. I had to admit, it had crossed my mind several times how I'd explain this new development to him. It was challenging to explain it even to myself. Mostly because I didn't know what today would bring and where Rose and I would go from here. _I guess we all had to wait and see_.

Rose sunk back onto my chest, batting her long eyelashes while asking: "Want a quickie?"

"I don't do quickies", I replied, seeing her eyebrows quirk before I attacked her lips.

 **POV: Rose**

"What?"

"Nothing."

"WHAT?"

"I told you, nothing", Adrian replied, but the mischievous in his expression kept telling a different story.

"If you want to say something, just say it."

He glanced around the car, almost like he was looking for an escape, but when it became clear he had nowhere to run he finally said: "I'm glad you and Dimitri worked things out."

"What makes you think we've worked anything out?", I challenged, but Dimitri joining us stopped the conversation before it could turn into a debate.

Dimitri handed him a bouquet of flowers to which Adrian ridiculously squealed: "For me? Oh, you shouldn't have."

"That one got old years ago", Dimitri grumbled, but I noticed how hard he tried to suppress a smile.

"Well, maybe I'll stop using it when you let me shop on my own."

 _He'll never let you do anything alone_ , I thought and the look Dimitri wore when he settled back into his seat definitely confirmed it. After everything Dimitri had told me about his past, I knew his protectiveness over Adrian wasn't just his job or duty. It was something he wanted to do. Only I wasn't sure if he wanted it for reasons he'd pointed out — caring about Adrian, feeling of gratitude after all he did and kept doing to help Dimitri's family, or if it was a little bit of something else. It was clear Dimitri felt guilty for Ivan's death, though he played no part in it. Adrian reminded him of Ivan, the fact he himself admitted, and I knew that played a part in how he treated him, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

"For you", Dimitri mumbled, handing me a flower I hadn't noticed him holding.

It was a white rose. I took it carefully so I wouldn't wind up pricking my fingers and sniffed it. The sweet scent filled my nostrils and I smiled, fixing my eyes on Dimitri. I wouldn't say I disliked roses, but too many dates bought me those and proudly shot cliche lines to painstakingly point out the connection between them and my name. Getting one from Dimitri felt different though, especially because I was almost certain he picked white for a reason. _New beginnings_. That was the meaning of white roses according to some magazine I read once upon a time. As improbable as it was that Dimitri read that same magazine, I was convinced he somehow knew.

"Thanks", I said, trying to ignore the faces Adrian was making. Not that he was wrong to ridicule us. We were disgustingly romantic which was actually neither Dimitri's nor my style. _I think_.

Despite Adrian's obvious desires to reign teases on us, he grabbed a water bottle from the limo's minifridge and screwed it open, taking a few hefty gulps before handing it to me to stick my rose inside.

I stole a few glances at his aunt's estate as we drove past the enormous gates and onto the road surrounded by extremely neat greenery. It was similar to Adrian's place, but with a slightly more feminen touch to it. Surprisingly, most of the people we drove past seemed ordinary. Not that I expected them to be armed up to their teeth, but none of them looked like their job was to guard the place. I wondered if Tatiana's decision to _retire_ led to the lack of security. Maybe one _could_ live a normal life once they cut most of their ties to this ugly world of crime. _Well as normal as life with maids and a butler in a mansion is_.

"Master Ivashkov", an old man waiting for us by the front door greeted.

"Anton, again with the Master thing? Really?", Adrian exclaimed, squeezing the man's hand a little tighter than I thought he should.

Despite his fragile looks and kind eyes, Anton could obviously hold his own though. He shook Adrian's hand vigorously, unblinking when I expected him to wince from the grip. He smiled warmly at Adrian, the kind of smile that would've made me think he was his grandfather if I didn't know Adrian's grandfather died. _Like most of his family_. Dimitri and I greeting Anton. When it was my turn, he bowed slightly and kissed my hand, making me smile.

"Come in, come in", a short, chubby lady bubbled from the hallway.

She looked like one of those people who had the warmest hugs and Adrian sure as hell didn't hesitate stepping into it. He introduced her as Torrie. Torrie led us through the house and out into the backyard garden.

Among the shrubs and richly filled flower pots was a table with just enough chairs to seat us all. One of the chairs was occupied by a woman I estimated to be in her sixties. Her dark grey hair was pulled in a bun, green eyes watching us over the rim of the glasses she pushed down her slim nose. Her blank expression turned into a wide smile when Adrian waved at her. It seemed like she was about to stand up, but Adrian moved faster, leaning down to hug her before she could.

"I've missed you Tati."

"Well, then you should visit me more often", she replied, her voice sharper than I expected, but unmistakably filled with fondness.

"Be careful what you wish for aunty", he chuckled, pulling back only to settle in the chair next to her, "Once all of this fighting is done with you won't be able to get rid of me."

"And I will never want to", she said before she glanced at Dimitri and greeted, "Lovely to see you as always dear. Please, sit."

"You too ma'am", Dimitri responded, moving to the other chair next to her.

 _He left me the seat between him and Adrian_. Good. I'd feel more comfortable if I had them as human shields, especially since Tatiana obviously didn't intend to be all sweet and nice to me as well. That much was clear when her expression changed back into that blank one from earlier and she scanned me from head to toe before quirking her elegant eyebrow at Adrian.

"Rose, this is Tati. Tati, Rose", he blurted, waving at me almost disinterestedly.

His behavior was weird, but I brushed it off and stepped closer to Tatiana. I was going to show I had some manners, even if Adrian didn't. I offered my hand to her and, after a few moments during which she fixed her eyes on mine like she was trying to reach into my mind, she took it.

"Have a seat Rose", Tatiana instructed and a little voice at the back of my head told me to play nice with her. She raised Adrian. That alone made her a force to be reckoned with. I've made enough enemies over the past three months and she was clearly not someone who should be added to the list.

I crossed my legs when I got comfortable in my seat, angling them so one of my feet brushed Dimitriʼs leg whenever I moved it. He stiffened at the first touch, but as our eyes locked he relaxed, moving closer to me. His jeans felt rough, but I ignored the way they scraped my skin when my leg bounced and focused on the calmness the small contact with him brought me. I didn't realize I zoned out until his eyes which had been wandering around the table for a while, turned to mine again in a warning. Someone must have said something to me. _Shit_. _I was supposed to be paying attention and gathering info, not staring at Dimitri like a love-struck teenager_.

I carefully peered at Tatiana and Adrian, clearing my throat while I tried to think of a good excuse as to why I haven't heard whichever question was apparently directed at me. Before anything came to mind, Adrian turned to Dimitri and said something that sounded like an order and plea at the same time: "Take Rose for a walk, will you?"

 _Rude_. Clearly he was pissed at me for some reason, but since when did he speak to Dimitri in such a way? A quick eye-scan of the table showed me Dimitri was oddly calm, Adrian visibly impatient and Tatiana more than intrigued. It seemed I'd missed more than that one question and not just because I wasn't paying attention to the current conversation.

"They haven't had their tea", Tatiana protested, though it didn't seem like she'd really miss us even if we were to drop dead in five minutes. Or at least me.

"They'll have it later. I want to talk privately."

Dimitri stood up and motioned me to the path leading further into the garden. I followed him in silence, but as soon as we were out of earshot I hissed: "What crawled up Adrian's ass?"

"What do you mean?", Dimitri said, glancing over his shoulder.

"He's been incessant about introducing me to Tatiana and now he's acting like a dick."

"Ah", Dimitri huffed, frowning slightly, " _That_."

"Ah that? I guess it's my turn to ask: what do you mean?"

With another peer over his shoulder, Dimitri pressed his palm into the small of my back and stirred me off the path and into the freshly cut grass. Once we were hidden within tall shrubs and slightly wilder greenery, he said: "He's putting on a show for her."

"Why?"

"Because he fears what she'll think and say. Especially since she disagreed with his decision to kidnap you."

"Of course she did. Clearly, she is a sensible woman."

"She is, but that's not why she disagreed", he corrected, giving me a bitter smile that made me frown, "She thought he wouldn't be able to treat you like a means to an end, a weapon he could use without caring about its durability. She was certain he'd get attached."

"Is that such a bad thing? Shouldn't she be happy he's not a heartless monster? I mean I know he can't be all warm and fuzzy while pointing guns at people, but he doesn't have to be completely detached either."

"It'd be better for him if he was. Safer. At the end of the day, that's what every person who cares about him wants — him to be alive and as safe as possible."

"Are you?", I burst before I could stop my fast mouth. He frowned so I decided I was going to finish my stupid question now, though I knew this was so _not_ the appropitate time for that conversation: "Detached?"

We walked out into a clearing next to a house much smaller than the main one. I turned towards Dimitri when he stopped and said: "No, but I've learned to have better control over my emotions than Adrian."

"Control?", I chuckled in an attempt to tease my way out of the touchy subject, "Is that the thing you're always claiming I'm stealing from you?"

"That's the one", he replied, taking the lifevest I'd thrown readily.

He stepped towards me, ducking to steal a kiss. It was a brief and gentle one and was sadly interrupted by a question I didn't understand: "Dimka?"

I opened my eyes to see his flickering above my head. I turned to face a woman with raven hair and surprisingly familiar icy-blue eyes. It took me a few seconds to remember who she reminded me of. By the time I did, Dimitri moved around me and rubbed the back of his neck almost sheepishly while he greeted: "Hello, Tasha."

 _Natasha_. The mysterious woman I've heard Dimitri mention a handful of times. I never got around to asking him about her. Then again there was a ton of things I had yet to learn about him and the people in his life. And sure, I'd be lying if I said it didn't pique my interests when I realized she was the only woman he had no blood ties with that he spoke of, but my brain apparently chose to register the only piece of information about her that had nothing to do with Dimitri. She was Christian's aunt. That was all I knew. Their family resemblance was astonishing. In other words, she was as pretty as Christian.

"I didn't know you were coming today", she said, offering him a dazzling smile, "You keep surprising me lately."

 _Lately_? I barely managed not to quirk my eyebrow at Dimitri as he replied: "It's entirely Adrian's fault."

"Well, I guess I'll have to thank him for making such _faults_ ", she chuckled, then glanced at me, her smile never wavering as she asked: "Have we met?"

Her voice was sweet. Too sweet. As a woman, I knew exactly what hid behind it even though I couldn't decide if it was something Dimitri neglected to mention or wasn't aware of. Either way, when I ventured out to gain Dimitri's affection, I had no idea I had competition. And clearly, she didn't either. She played it smart though, going for the naive and friendly approach rather than trying to mark her territory. Which was more than fine by me. I knew that game all too well.

"Not unless you've been held hostage at the other Ivashkov manner recently", I beamed, noticing the tall, uncomfortable and confused man next to me shifting his weight nervously while she let out something between a cough and a snicker behind the hand she used to cover her mouth, "I'm Rose."

 _Oh, you're in trouble Comrade_ , I thought as the fake polite staring contest Tasha and I started continued for a few more moments. _So much fucking trouble_. I was admittedly caught by surprise when she stepped towards me and offered me her hand. Something flickered through her eyes as I took her hand and, for a second, it almost seemed like her friendliness turned genuine. I wasn't letting my guard down though, not until I knew the whole story.

"It's nice to meet you Rose", she said and then turned her focus back to Dimitri, "Christian told me his vacation has been extended. Was that a nice gesture or is something going on?"

"His workplace was blown to bits so Adrian and I agreed to keep him away for a little bit."

"I heard about that. I'm glad you're keeping him safe Dimka."

"I promised I would."

 _Dimka as in Dimitri_. _My nickname is way better_ , I thought as Tasha nodded and seemed to have decided it was time to continue on her way to wherever she was going earlier. Before leaving, she gave Dimitri a hug and smiled at me again as she added: "It was nice meeting you."

"You too", I pushed out as she waved at us and disappeared between the shrubs.

Dimtri watched her go, turning to me with an odd expression once we were left alone. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was freaking out a bit. But, I did know better. He was freaking out _a lot_. I honed my newly acquired skill of waiting for Dimitri to crack under pressure, something I've actually learned from him. Five, maybe even less, seconds later he crumbled. It was a new record.

"Tasha is an old friend", he blurted out, clearly feeling like he should underline that, but falsely believing it was going to save his ass.

"Friend like Ivan or friend like me?"

A strained chuckle escaped him, followed by something in his mother tongue I didn't understand before he replied: "Both and neither."

"So you dated?"

"I've never _dated_ anyone. But if you're asking me—."

"Wait, you've seriously never had an actual girlfriend?", I cut in, suddenly more interested in his declaration than what I'd initially set out to discover, "Never, in over thirty years of your life?"

"No."

"How, what, why?"

"I didn't have time or energy to dedicate to a relationship."

"Wow. That's—, wow!"

I swear I could see a small blush creeping up his neck, but it was gone in a blink and his expression turned serious when he said: "Tasha and I had a few _intimate_ encounters over the years we've known each other, but we _are_ just friends."

"So she _is_ a friend like me."

"No. You are something entirely different to me."

I had no right to act like a jealous girlfriend. I _wasn't_ his girlfriend. We knew we had silently agreed on simple rules: no obligations and no labels. So, despite the fact that the idea of _sharing_ him with someone did funny things to me, I decided to retreat. I playfully nudged him with my fist while I teased: "I must be really special then."

He caught my hand and pulled me to him, bringing his lips dangerously close to mine and whispered: "Yes, you are."

"Watch it Comrade", I said, adamantly ignoring the backflips my stomach was performing, "If you keep that up, I might start thinking you're in love with me."

"I think he's past that point", Adrian voiced, making us both jump.

"And I think you need to mind your own business", Dimitri snapped.

His eyes lingered on mine for another breathless moment and then he released me from his magnetic hold. I felt my face morphing into a pissed off expression, my mouth moving before I could stop it. Not that I actually wanted to do so this time around.

"Oh, look who decided to acknowledge my existence."

"Someone's in a mood", Adrian chuckled, shaking his head.

"You're the one who put me in it. What gives? Don't tell me the mighty Adrian Ivashkov is afraid of a gentle old lady."

"I do hope you didn't just refer to my great aunt as gentle and old."

"So what if I did?", I challenged, crossing my arms over my chest.

"So she might decide to feed you to her dogs."

"Joking around isn't going to get you out of apologizing for being an ass."

Adrian made a face that indicated he was about to snap at me, but then paused. I watched his lips tug into that all too familiar _I'm going to deflect_ smile. Instead of going for the kind of approach I was sure was his DNA, he gave ground with a simple: "I'm sorry."

"You damn right you are", I huffed and then turned on my heel, "I'd like to have that tea now."

The two of them followed me soon after, but Dimitri split when his phone rang. Adrian moved closer to me as we found our way back to Tatiana. Before joining her though, he apparently decided to give me something to distract me, again. In a hushed voice he suddenly said: "It wasn't the lack of time or energy."

"What?"

Adrian ignored my confusion, continuing quickly: "It was the lack of _a person_ deserving of his time and energy."

Was he seriously talking about Dimitri's love life with me? I played it cool and instead of commenting on his words, said: "I see you're big on eavesdropping."

"Aren't we all?"

"Aren't we all what?", Tatiana questioned like on cue.

"Looking forward to brunch", Adrian swiftly replied, nudging me forward.

Tatiana's eyes scanned me again as I moved to sit down, but this time there was something different in her gaze. I didn't know if the private talk Adrian had with her changed her opinion of me, not that she could truly form an opinion without even knowing me. Still, I suddenly felt my anger towards Adrian fading and this annoying need to be the one to apologize to him settling in its place. I should've known he'd never stand for someone looking down on me, even if that someone was his family. He was just like that. If he valued and respected you he expected others to follow his lead. I've seen that plenty of times already.

"Rose, Adrian tells me you're quite a driver", Tatiana spoke up, her lips moving into a faint smile.

 _She didn't know_ , my mind supplied, _he hasn't told her about the crash_. It felt as if it happened a lifetime ago, but Adrian sure as hell owed me one for that and it was clear he chose to pay his due on this particular occasion. What better way to get what was practically his surrogate mother to appreciate me then to tell her I saved his life. As always, he outsmarted everyone. It was a habit that was both impressive and annoying as hell. It was also something I chose to praise today.

"Adrian is rarely wrong."

* * *

 **Heyyyy guys! I'm so so sorry for being away for so long! I know I got some of you worried and I'm also very grateful to those of you who've reached out to check on me! Aside from life being... well, life, I've faced this nasty little thing called writers block! For a month, I couldn't put almost anything into writing and when I did, I winded up scraping it! The weird thing is that I have this story completely planned out so all I had to do was stick to the plan, but my mind either came up blank or I hated every single line I put together! Finally, with a little encouragement and help from a dear friend (yeah Megan, I mean you :*) I finally finished this damn chapter! I'm eager to hear what y'all think, especially cause it's been a hell of a job to write this one! Also, to make it up to you guys, the next chapter I post is going to be a chapter I haven't originally planned, but decided to add - fluff and smut Romitri all around! I hope I'll be able to continue writing now that I've fought my way through this chapter and I hope to post the next one on schedule, but if I don't, please be patient with me, I'm doing my best!**

 **XOXO T!**

 **Question of the week: On the scale from 0-10, how strict are/were your parents? I'm gonna put mine (mostly my mom XD) at a 7, 8ish! Being an only child has its advantages, but it has some obvious disadvantages to XD**

 **Songs: I Am - James Arthur, Straight Shooter - Skyler Grey**


	35. CH35 - As Normal as it Gets

**POV: Dimitri**

"Harder."

She was fighting for air. If we didn't stop soon, she'd lose that fight. But neither of us backed down. She moved and an almost animalistic growl escaped her. As much as I tried to, I couldn't stay quiet either. I was tiring down so I too grunted and breathed in unsteadily.

"Faster."

I felt the scratch of her nails against my skin. I didn't think it was purposeful. As much as she tried to control that fiery, dangerous and wild side of her, it always found its way to the surface one way or the other. And it brought out the devil in me. I grabbed a fistfull of her hair and tugged, making her lose her balance. She collided with me and I wrapped my arm around her, tackling her down. I pinned her too, letting the full weight of my body serve as an inescapable trap. With my face a mere inch from hers I breathed out: "Smarter."

"That's easy for you to say Mr. Fight Club. I'm doing my best."

"Your best isn't going to cut it against your enemies."

"Ugh, fine", she moaned, throwing her head back, "Another round?"

"I think you've had enough for one day", I laughed, pressing my lips to her neck briefly before pushing myself up.

I didn't get far since her legs wrapped around my waist and kept me close. I was all for staying glued to her, but Rose had this insane rule about showering before continuing our sparring sessions with slightly different activities. When we first started training on a daily basis, I had to do all I could to deny and ignore the all but tangible tension between us. Before the night I completely gave in and spent hours worshiping her in her bed, I had to force myself to do nothing except walk away after our workout was done with. And since that night I was set on making up for lost time. What entirely went in my favour was that Rose got worked up the same way I did when we fought. The build-up of adrenaline in our systems could only be fucked out of them and we both eagerly sought out that release.

"I have an idea", she mumbled, chewing on the corner of her lip.

"I'm listening", I said as she let go of me and got up.

She hooked her fingers under the elastic of her crop top and pulled it up slowly. I sat back on my heels, watching her dispose of it and her tights before heading towards the pool. Her panties came flying at me as I scrambled to my feet and rushed after her. I ripped at my clothes hastily, watching her dive in. By the time I managed to undress and follow her in, she was already hoisting herself up onto the ladder on the other side of the pool. Her locks unraveled under the weight of the water they'd soaked up and glued to her skin, droplets falling rhythmically from their ends back into the pool. She sat on one of the steps, legs spread to welcome me closer and I wasted no time swimming into her embrace.

I was sure that Rosemarie Hathaway had magic powers. She was able to turn me into a teenage boy with a simple bat of her lashes. I couldn't resist, couldn't get enough of her. I wanted to spend every waking moment touching and kissing all of her from head to toe. When I was with her, I felt like she was the only woman I'd been with. She erased everyone and everything. I didn't understand how it was possible so I could only ascribe it to sorcery.

"I like your idea", I said, grabbing one side of the handrail to keep myself afloat while my free hand slid up her leg, breaking the surface before continuing on its way up.

"This is just a preview", she chuckled, trembling when my fingers grazed one of her nipples that already hardened from the cold water.

I cupped her neck and tugged her closer so my lips could reach her breasts and her legs could once again wrap around my waist. She threw her head back with a purr, her hands slipping from the rails to latch onto my shoulders. I hoisted her up long enough to position myself properly and then I was sinking into her with almost no effort at all. It sounded like she tried to say my name, but she let out a wanton moan instead. Her skin always slid under my hands like silk, but damp as it was, I thought it'd slip out of my grasp entirely. Just to ensure she wasn't going anywhere I propped one of my legs on the ladder and in doing so plunged into her even deeper. That, along with our lips meeting, caused a series of noises to rumble through both of our bodies. Her arms tightened around me, hugging me to her as we moved.

 _She was made for me_. My hands fit the curves of her body like gloves, our hearts beat as one whenever we got close to each other and our lips melted together as if they were never meant to be apart. In moments like these: when breaths and moans mixed on her kiss-swollen lips in feverish desperation, when her pupils were blown so wide I could only see dark, electrifying seas of desire, when her body trembled and begged to be set free, it felt like she was mine. It felt like I was the only one who could take her to those heights and I loved the power she let me have over her. I knew giving up control wasn't in her nature, knew she made me someone special to her when she let me have it. Knew. Or maybe just hoped.

By the time we were spent the windows around us fogged making the space dim and secluded which was a good thing since we forgot how exposed to the world we actually were. Despite what Adrian thought of me, I wasn't shy, but I wasn't an exibitionst either. I didn't want my coworkers to see me with Rose. But, what was even more important, I didn't want them to see _her_ on display like this. Call it jealousy or greed, but I wanted to keep her to myself for as long as I could. And, maybe, there was a part of me that was still insecure about her claims that I was more than just her means to kill time. That she wanted me, not just what I could provide. Perhaps my views would change if I could call her what I wanted to. If I could call her _mine_. But that would never happen.

"Adrian is gonna be pissed we fucked in his pool", Rose breathed out through a lazy grin as we untangled from one another.

"Let's not tell him or he might kneecap us both."

She laughed and turned around, climbing out of the pool and heading toward the small cupboard in the corner that contained towels. She pulled out three, tossing one to me when I neared her. We collected our clothes while drying off, putting them on long enough to get back to the house. We showered together which was something I learned she enjoyed a lot. I did too, mostly because it gave me more reasons to touch her, even if it didn't lead to anything more than soaping her up.

We set out to make breakfast when we were all cleaned up. We focused on our tasks, but used every opportunity to brush past one another or lock gazes. There, in the midst of dishes banging and pans sizzling, Rose humming some tune, soft morning breeze rolling through the open window, smiles and winks in passing, I thought: _this is what being a normal couple is like_. But we were neither normal nor a couple. _Stuck in the now with no clue what's to come_ was the definition of Rose and me. But I loved the now and I knew that the longer it lasted, the more likely I was to start loving more than just that.

At some point I realized that Rose had stopped moving. She stood perfectly still in front of the coffee pot, staring at it like it was a bomb. I leaned closer, hoping to catch her attention, but she seemed oblivious to my attempts. I coughed, then prompted: "Everything okay?"

"I don't know how you take your coffee."

"What?", I asked as she turned toward me with a slightly dazed look in her eyes.

"We've been living under the same roof for three months and I have no idea how you take your coffee."

"Black", I said, offering her a small smile, but she only frowned.

"It's weird how much we don't know about each other."

"We know plenty", I contradicted, but she shook her head.

"We know the big stuff, sure. But we don't know anything about the plain stuff, like preferences and wishes and a bunch of other things you usually know about someone who you live and sleep with."

I opened my mouth to argue, but nothing came out. She was right. I knew some, small details, mostly because I observed them. Like her habits or tics. I knew all the faces she made and the meaning behind each. I knew how she usually sat or the positions she took when she slept. All of that was something I'd learned on my own, not something she'd told me. And I wanted her to tell me. I wanted her to tell me everything there was to know about her.

"Blue."

"Huh?", she said, blinking up at me.

"My favorite color is blue. Dark blue."

She nodded and smiled, following my lead without hesitation by saying: "Red."

And that was how we wound up throwing questions around all the way through breakfast. Simple things like favorite songs, movies, books. Our food went cold while we tried to get as many answers from one another as possible. At some point, we ran out of ideas and agreed we'd pick it up some other time.

Rose's eyes darted to mine again and, after a few silent moments, she asked: "Are you working today?"

"I have a few things to take care of, but no, not really. Why do you ask?"

She paused to stuff an overfilled fork into her mouth and chewed on it slowly, as if she was buying time before pushing out: "I thought we could go to the mall or something. I need a new outfit for the wedding, unless Adrian has changed his mind about attending."

"Rose, we can't go to the mall. Someone might recognize you."

"I'm pretty sure mobsters don't shop in malls."

"Not mobsters. Other people that know you."

"What are the chances of that happening?", she challenged, dismissively waving at me, "Besides, that won't be a problem if we mask ourselves."

"Roza—."

"Come on, it'll be fun", she purred, giving me her best doe-eyed look, "Pretty please."

I sighed, pushing my plate away and folding my arms on the table, questioning: "And how exactly are we going to mask ourselves?"

"I'm glad you asked."

 **POV: Rose**

"Where the hell did you get that?", Dimitri exclaimed while I added the last part of my disguise and glanced at the mirror.

"Jill's", I replied, carefully arranging the wig's bangs into place with my fingers, "I figured there might come a time when I'd need to go _undercover_ somewhere for some reason."

"And you thought red would be inconspicuous?", he laughed, picking up one of the strands to twirl it around his finger.

"No. I thought I always wanted to dye my hair red", I corrected, deciding to add a baseball hat for good measure, "And I did say it was my favorite color."

Dimitri placed his hands on my shoulders, squeezing them softly. I looked up to meet his eyes in the mirror and couldn't help smiling. He moved the red strands away and kissed the side of my neck, whispering against my skin: "Never dye your hair. It's perfect, just the way it is."

"It won't be when it starts turning grey."

"It'll always be perfect", he mumbled and I felt my heart dance in my chest.

I wiggled out of his arms before he could distract me from finishing up and leaving, grabbing another hat like mine. _You've gotta love buy one, get one free offers._ I plonked it on top of his head, leaving him to adjust it on his own. When I turned towards him, I realized the hat was a bit crooked which made him about a million times more adorable. He pulled on it to try to adjust it better, but it was no use. I grinned at him as he rolled his eyes and huffed, abandoning his efforts.

"Obviously, it's doesn't fit."

"Come on Comrade, you've shown incredible skills at fitting into _places_ lately", I teased, seeing his cheeks blush slightly, "Don't let one hat beat you."

He muttered something in his mother tongue, which was always proof I'd gotten under his skin. Trutfully, he didn't need to put up much of a disguise. He was more or less a ghost. He had to be as part of his job. But, it was so fun to torture him sometimes. I drummed my fingers on the rim of his hat and added: "So, not to be a gold digger or anything, but do you mind bringing your wallet? It's not like I could use my credit card even if I still had it."

He nodded and tapped his pocket, letting me know he was way ahead of me. We were just about to leave when I remembered to grab my phone. He peered at me as I pushed it into my pocket and said: "Just in case we get separated."

"I won't let you out of my sight", he responded immediately, but he said it more like a promise to keep me safe than a threat to let me know I was still a prisoner. It was a hell of an improvement in my status around here.

We made our way to the garage and I was surprised to see him unlocking the car he grabbed his sweatshirt from the last time we were here instead of heading for his bike straight away. He gestured me towards the passenger's seat and I asked: "What, no scary rides this time?"

"I can make it scary with the jeep just fine if you're jonesing for adrenaline."

"No, grandma driving is fine", I exclaimed, hopping in and buckling up.

He didn't exactly go slow, but he didn't make my heart climb to my throat either so I was fine with it. He turned the radio on and actually winked at me when he did it. _What I wouldn't give for him to be playful and relaxed all the time_. A nice thought, but I was aware it was never going to happen. Sooner or later, he had to return to being the right hand man of a mafia leader and that guy was all work. I liked that guy too, but I was falling hard for this one. _Who am I kidding_? I fell a while ago and I wasn't getting up any time soon.

"Am I going to get you in trouble?", I asked, trying to take my mind off the rail of thoughts that began occupying it.

"You're trouble incarnate Rose", he chuckled, glancing at me briefly, "If you're speaking about today though, I don't see why I'd be in trouble."

"I don't know how Adrian will feel about our activities."

"I thought we agreed we weren't going to tell him about the pool", he joked, but we both knew he understood what I was referring to. He knifed between a few cars and then neatly slid into the exit lane while adding: "He'll be fine with it."

"Where is he anyway?"

"Taking care of some things with Ibrahim."

"Some things like threatening, maiming and killing people?"

"Adrian is not as bloodthirsty as you think", he pointed out, but didn't seem like he was entirely convinced by his own words either.

"And my father?"

"I don't really know your father."

"Guess that makes the two of us", I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest.

He took his right hand off the wheel and reached over to squeeze mine. I peeked at him, seeing a small and encouraging smile appear on his lips as he murmured: "Not today."

"What?"

"Let's not think or talk about all of that today", he suggested, his voice soothing, "Let's just enjoy each other's company and leave worrying for tomorrow."

"You mean have one regular mundane day, huh?", I chuckled, feeling lighter by the second because that's the kind of effect he had on me. I used to wonder how he managed to make Adrian so calm, but in time I understood how much energy he could soak up and turn positive. Being near him sometimes felt like stepping into a bubble of tranquil safety.

"Exactly."

"Okay", I agreed, my face splitting into a grin, "A day where we are just Dimitri and Rose. I think we can manage that."

 **POV: Dimitri**

Rose's love for unhealthy food was equal parts fascinating and worrying. Once I placed her tray down, she practically threw herself at her burger. She frowned at my salad like it was the most disgusting thing she'd seen and constantly tried to get me to ' _at least take some fries from her_ '. I declined the offer, but took her up on the few spoonfuls of ice-cream she waved in front of my face. By the time all of the food was gone, it looked like she was having trouble breathing properly. I also noticed her blinking turned lazy which made me wonder if she'd fall asleep right in the middle of the food court.

"Ahh I shouldn't have eaten this much", she whined, making me shake my head and softly laugh.

She leaned back, stretching her stomach while glancing at the large pile of bags next to us. When she faced me again, her expression turned apologetic while she added: "And I probably shouldn't have bought this much stuff either. Sorry, I'll pay you back... some day."

"Don't worry about it. I have more money than time to spend it anyway."

"So basically, you're loaded?", she laughed, toying with a strand of her wig like she always toyed with her own hair. I couldn't say red didn't fit her, but I knew I was never going to get used to anything but her beautiful dark hair.

"I guess I am", I shrugged, collecting all of the trash from her tray and dumping it onto mine.

"Then I guess I'll be loaded too when I become Mrs. Belikova."

I knew she was joking, but I couldn't stop my eyes from flickering up at her and my whole body freezing for a second. She was clearly ready for such a reaction, smiling like a cheshire cat when she added: "I scared the living hell out of you, haven't I?"

"No, of course—."

"No need to bullshit me", she cut in, leaning to fold her arms on the table, "It's a part of the game. You know, us pretending to be regular people. If you were just Dimitri and I was just Rose, there's a chance we'd get married."

"You really think so?", I prompted, but smiled again so she wouldn't think I was frightened by the idea. And I wasn't. I was scared, but not by the possibility of us getting married in some other life. I was scared by how appealing the thought of something like that being in the cards for me was to a small part of my brain.

"Well, we already live together. The sex is mind-blowing, we like spending time with each other, you're a great cook and I'm a great... helper", she laughed, her eyes sparking up when she did, "We fit. I see us going places."

"If I was just Dimitri, I wouldn't be working for Adrian so I wouldn't be loaded. And we wouldn't have even met if—."

"You don't have to eliminate working for Adrian from the equation."

"How come?"

"Just change the line of work."

"Roza, I don't think—."

"Come on!", she exclaimed, leaning back into her chair, "Use your imagination. We are supposed to be having fun today. Let's create our life stories."

I didn't see the point in deluding ourselves, but I was the one who insisted on us pretending to be ordinary people in the first place. _Perhaps indulging this could be fun_. I leaned back as well, glancing up at the ceiling as I said: "Similar line of work is fine. I'm working as Adrian's bodyguard."

"Cause he's a rich club owner."

"Yes."

"So no threatening, maiming and killing people?", she laughed, making me grin.

"None."

"I work as an interior designer", she said and, after I peered at her with my brow cocked added, "What? It's a fantasy, I can be whatever I want. Besides, we have to meet somehow."

"Let me guess, you're hired by Adrian to fix up The Academy?"

"After the _gas leak_ that fucked it up", she prompted, both of chuckling.

"And that's when we first see each other."

Rose started nodding and then suddenly jumped to her feet. She ushered me up, collecting the bags while I picked up the remnants of our food in confusion. She seemed excited about whatever popped into her head and luckily didn't keep me in the dark for long. As soon we picked everything up she said: "Let's go leave these in the car. I have an idea."

"You're full of those today", I laughed while getting rid of our trays and, despite Rose's silent protest, taking the bags from her.

"You liked all the previous ones."

"I sure did."

"Trust me, this is going to be a good one too."

 **POV: Rose**

Dimitri Belikov in a form-fitting black T-shirt was the definition of _hella fine_. It was only a short while ago, but I remembered how I'd to catch myself thinking about how glorious he must look without his clothes. I was so not disappointed when I got to find out. Even back when he was the rude guy shoving me into the back of Adrian's limo, I couldn't deny that he looked like a god.

"Glasses?", he question as I pushed the pair I'd put on up my nose.

"They make me look smart."

He tried to suppress a smile and nodded in fake seriousness. I glided my skirt to straighten out invisible wrinkles on it as Dimitri circled me and leaned in next to my ear to whisper: "I like the skirt."

His hand slipped over my ass and squeezed, making it difficult for me to stay in character, but I did my best by gasping and then exclaiming: "Mr. Belikov, this behaviour is outrageous. We've just met."

"My apologies. I've mistaken you for someone else. Please Miss Hathaway, will you take a seat? Mr. Ivashkov will be with you in a second."

I sat on the stool in the changing room, seeing a beyond baffled guy slip behind Dimitri and hurry as far away from his stall as possible. Dimitri propped himself on the side of the stall and crossed his arms over his chest, his muscles popping. For a second, I almost jumped him right there in the middle of the store. But, if I put aside the fact that somebody was likely to call security on us if we fucked in the mall, I still wanted to keep playing the game we'd started. _Enacting our fake story_.

"What would you do while I talked to Adrian?"

"Watch you."

"Creepy", I teased, making him roll his eyes.

"It wouldn't be 'cause, while I watched you, admiring your beauty and stripping you in my mind, you'd be watching me too, wondering how it'd feel to be in my arms."

I felt heat rush through my body and I coughed, trying to keep my focus while I responded: "Cocky, but I'll accept it. And how would you get my number?"

"You'd leave your card."

"You really think I'd want you that much?"

"Maybe yes, maybe no, but you'd want Adrian to have a way to reach you while you're doing business."

"Smart thinking", I praised, loving how much Dimitri was getting into this, "So, you'd take the card from Adrian and ask me out."

"Yes."

"Let's say I accept, where are we going?"

"To the next store", Dimitri pointed out as I stood up.

"I meant for our date."

"I know what you meant, but our date requires a change of clothes."

"Oooo, does that mean you'll be taking me somewhere fancy?"

"Change", he ordered, stepping back and pulling the curtain to give me privacy.

I stripped so fast I was sure I'd rip something. When I was done, Dimitri led me back to the store where I bought my dress for the wedding. I wasn't surprised that the saleswoman recognized us immediately between the amount of money we'd spent and the fight we had when Dimitri was trying to get me to show him how I looked in the dress and I kept adamantly refusing. He asked for the tux he was eyeing when we were first here and I snuck off to grab a dress I really liked, but found a little too plain for a fancy wedding like the one I was certain Dianna and Wesley were having.

"So we _are_ going to some fancy restaurant?", I asked, trying not to drool when I saw him in a tux. _Goddamn, how does he always look so yummy_?

"We are", he replied, his eyes scanning me lustfully, "And you're gonna hate it."

"I will?"

"Yes because _fancy restaurants_ serve small portions of food you can't name and don't really want to eat."

"So our first date is a failure?"

"Not quite", he corrected, walking up to me and taking my hand, "After dinner, I'll realise my mistake and I'll take you to that place Adrian claims has the best burgers in town."

"Looking like this?", I laughed, gesturing at my outfits.

"Well, you'd be wearing your hair up for dinner number one, but for the second place you'd let it loose it. I would get rid of my jacket and tie."

"Would you walk me home?"

"Of course and once we'd reach your building—", he trailed off, pulling me into a kiss.

It was one hell of a kiss.

We skipped through a few more stores, debating things like meeting friends and family, when we'd move in together and where, celebrations and dates. We split up a few times, but Dimitri was always nearby staying true to his promise about not taking his eyes off me. That would've annoyed me a month or two ago, but I felt perfectly safe and content under his gaze today. Come to think of it, I'd been feeling like that for a while now.

"It's our third year anniversary."

"Time flies by", he said, slowing down to walk in step with me.

"What's next for us?"

"The obvious", he replied, offering me his hand and tugging me after him when I accepted it.

He pulled me into a narrow hallway leading to a fire escape door, elbowing his way to the stairs behind it. I frowned at him, but he offered no explanations as he led me up. We climbed the stairs until we hit a dead-end. Well a locked door, but that was pretty much the same thing. Or so I thought. That's before Dimitri produced a knife out of God knew where and tinkered with the lock until it clicked open.

"You've got to teach me that", I muttered under my breath, but as expected he heard me anyway.

"Maybe someday. Come on."

We walked out onto the roof of the mall hand in hand. I was surprised to see the sun had already set. I'd lost track of time under the fluorescent lights inside. The roof was more or less flat with only a few obstacles in the way, so we made it to the edge pretty fast. Dimitri leaned on the railing and took a deep breath while I eyed the long drop down, prompting: "So, after three years you'd get bored and decide to throw me off a building? Was that the obvious part?"

He let out one of those full-fledged, head thrown back, big grin kind of laughs. I loved it when he did that. He leaned on his elbow, propping himself up while he turned to face me and said: "No. The obvious is to take the next step in our lives and our relationship."

"We jump off the building together?"

"What is it with you and jumping off buildings?", he chuckled, shaking his head while his eyes rolled so hard I thought they'd get stuck.

"What then?"

"I'd ask you to be my wife."

"Ha, I told you we'd get married", I exclaimed victoriously but felt something tightening in my stomach. _Must be all the food_.

"Even you have to be right sometimes", he laughed, earning a punch.

"Let's see if I can get it right again. So the proposal... hmm, you'd take me to a baseball game and do a big screen proposal?"

"You like baseball?", he asked, his eyes widening slightly.

"No. It's boring. But that's not the point."

"Why would I take you to a baseball game if you don't even like baseball?"

"Ugh, fine", I exclaimed, throwing my hands up, "Skywriting then?"

He sighed and reached over to lace our hands, mumbling: "Rose, you're terrible at guessing."

"Okay, okay. Tell me", I prompted impatiently.

"Blini", he said, making me blink at him in utter confusion. I didn't understand why he chose to bring up those delicious Russian pancakes Adrian and I begged him to make every other morning now of all times.

"What?"

"I'd make blini. I'd let you sleep in and I'd make you blini. And bacon."

"I thought you said they were meant to be eaten sweet", I argued, knowing well how persistent he was about the way they were supposed to be consumed.

"I'd make an exception."

"You think I'd be more likely to say yes because of it?"

"Roza."

"Yeah?"

"Stop talking."

I pouted while he stepped closer, but his cologne washing over me and his eyes fixing mine effectively shut me up. His voice dropped to a whisper as he added: "And coffee. I'd take the breakfast to our bedroom and kiss you awake."

I could almost picture it: the smell of that breakfast spreading through the room, his lips softly pecking mine until I opened my eyes. His gorgeous face and smile easing me into the day. _Our bed_. _Our apartment_. _Our normal lives_. He knew me better than I thought. I teased him with my suggestions earlier, but the truth was, I hated public proposals. This, what he was describing now, it was perfect.

"During breakfast, you'd tell me about the girls night you had with Sydney and Vasilisa. And then after that I'd run you a hot bath. I'd join you, because I know you'd want me to. I'd massage your legs until all the tension left after a night of dancing seeped out of them."

I barely stopped myself from moaning just thinking about the wonders his deft fingers could do once he put them to work. Naturally, my mind quickly found its way to thoughts about other things he did with those same fingers and his mind shortly followed.

"We'd go back to bed and make love", he breathed out, moving to allow his lips to ghost over mine, making me dizzy, "And then, we'd lay wrapped together. I'd let you rest for a bit in my arms and I'd tell you how beautiful you are, how my life would mean nothing without you in it and how much I love you."

I stopped breathing.

"I'd take this out of my nightstand", he said, stepping back and producing a _ring_ out of his pocket.

 _Where the hell did he get that_?, I thought, eyeing the jewelry while my heartbeat fastened. Despite the fact that it wasn't an actual engagement ring I was stunned to see him holding it. So stunned that I barely heard him say: "I'd pull you to sit, kneeling between your legs and I'd say—."

I was about to scream. I was sure I was. And then, seconds before he continued, I noticed that almost hypnotised look in his eyes change, sober up. What seemed like genuine emotionalness, turned to something that seemed like a mix of anger and sadness as he finished with: "I scared the living hell out of you, haven't I?"

My words being used against me wasn't something I enjoyed, but now they felt worse than a cold shower. I blinked my way out of my motionless state and took a step back, forcing a smile onto my face while replying: "It's just a game."

"Yes. A game", he mumbled, his expression slipping into that well-known stone mask I haven't seen in a while now, "Let's go."

"Back to reality", I said, suddenly feeling this unexplainable emptiness inside.

I thought he was going to simply start walking since he was already half-turned towards the door where we came from, but then his hand slid around mine and squeezed it. He was still holding onto his fake engagement ring and I felt it slip into my hand before we moved. He didn't look at me, but I knew I wasn't the only one reluctant to go when his voice strained while he confirmed: "Back to reality."

* * *

 **Heyyy guys! Here it is, the smut/fluff and just cause I can't help it little angst near the end chapter XD What do y'all think? Was it worth the wait? Let me know via reviews or PMs! And once again, thanks for all the support and feedback you've been sending my way! Y'all are amazing!**

 **Question of the week: Do you have any phobias and what are they? I'm claustrophobic so you pretty much never want to get stuck in an elevator with me XD Also, I have a mild form of acrophobia! I say mild cause I don't get scared to death of heights, but I feel very uncomfortable, especially if there isn't any barrier (fence) between me and whatever is beneath me!**

 **Songs: Fire Breather - Laurel, I Feel in Love with the Devil - Avril Lavigne**


	36. CH36 - Heat

**POV: Rose**

It was an ordinary wedding. Well, ordinary for rich people I guess. I didn't quite know what I was expecting, but it was definitely not a regular walking down the aisle, saying vows, first dance kind of a wedding. And yes, almost all the guests had weapons hidden beneath their formal wear, me included, but if you squinted a bit we could all pass off as normal people. Then again most of Adrian's family didn't seem like stone-cold killers despite being exactly that.

"Rose?"

"Hmm?", I hummed, directing my attention back at McCall.

"Would you like another one?", he evidently repeated his question, motioning to the empty glass on the table before me.

"You don't have to serve me, you know", I chuckled, standing up, "I can get my own drinks."

"I'll keep you company", he said, already starting to rise to his feet.

"Kit, I'm a big girl", I warned, leaning on his shoulder to force him back down, "I'll be fine. Do us both a favour and relax. Or if you can't, worry about that one over there instead of little old me."

He followed my gaze to the balcony where two young, gorgeous blondes were practically drooling over Adrian. Not far from them, the men they probably came here with were eyeing the situation in an extremely displeased manner. I wondered where Dimitri had gone and why he thought leaving Adrian alone was a good idea. He had a unique talent of pissing people off wherever he went. And despite the fact that I was sure no one wanted to be responsible for ruining Dianna's perfect day by starting a brawl, I was also sure these people exercised patience as much as Adrian did. And that _much_ was very little.

"You're probably right", McCall mumbled, his frown deepening.

"I'm brilliant like that", I said before heading towards the bar.

I ordered a drink and turned as Dimitri reappeared in time to save the day, much to McCall's relief and to Adrian's new friends disappointment. His boss clearly wasn't happy to be ushered back to our table either, but obliged with minimum protest as far as I could tell. I snickered into my chin and rolled by eyes before accepting a glass from... _what in the hell_? I twirled on my heels when I realized the bartender couldn't possible serve me a drink from behind my back when the bar was right of me. And I was also sure the bartender's eyes were light brown not dark green.

"We haven't had a chance to properly meet."

 _Mother f_ —. _Oh, he did not just give me that I'm Adrian 2.0 smirk_ , I thought as I faced Ion. It was hard not to instantly recoil away from him knowing the hatred Adrian had for him, but it was also terrifyingly impossible to stop staring at that all too familiar, hypnotizing gaze he sported. That whole expression was what got me into this mess of a life in the first place.

"No. We haven't."

"I'm Ion", he said, his voice too lulling for someone who was pretty much devil incarnate from what I've gathered, "And you're my _cousin's_ friend Rosemarie if I remember correctly."

I ignored the amount of disgust I detected in a single word that indicated his and Adrian's relation and instead chuckled: "Would you look at that, I'm famous."

He shrugged, leaning beside me with an almost elegant ease, his voice dropping to a seductive tone when he said: "I never forget a pretty face."

If his sentence came from somebody else, I probably would've scoffed. But Ion, like his _cousin_ , clearly had a way of making even the most cliche lines sound as if they were the sweetest words spoken. I didn't like that. It spelled trouble in all capital letters. And I knew I should run. Fast.

"Well, it was nice to—."

"Dance with me", he cut in, taking my glass from me and setting it on the bar.

I opened my mouth to blurt out some excuse, but he was way ahead of me. I felt his hand close around mine as my eyes rushed to our table and I realized I could no longer see it from the people on the dancefloor. I turned back as he added: "I insist."

 _Punch the asshole_ , the rebellious part of my mind screamed. _Don't start a fight you can't win_ , the more rational, survivalistic part contradicted in what sounded more like Dimitri's voice than mine. I decided to listen to it and let Ion lead me to the center of the room. I sent a silent prayer to whoever was listening that my attempt to maintain peace wouldn't wind up having the opposite effect once my friends eventually spotted me.

"Are you enjoying yourself?", he asked as we began dancing.

"I was."

He let out a short, melodic laugh, his eyebrow quirking as he pulled me closer to him than I would've liked. The smirk made an appearance again when he said: "I can see why everyone is so infatuated with you Rosemarie. You're feisty."

"It's Rose", I bit back, following him into a turn. His smile wavered which was enough to warn me he did _not_ like to be snapped at. Alarms blared in my head so I quickly added: "You're quite the dancer, seems it runs in the family."

"It's one of the rare things my cousin and I have in common", he replied bitterly though his ego was apparently stroked enough to make him forget about my slip up, "That and an affinity towards beautiful things. So I wonder if he's losing his touch."

"Excuse me?"

His eyes shifted to where he was clasping my hand and it took me a moment to realize he was looking at my fingers. Well, one finger on which I'd put Dimitri's fake engagement, braided silver ring with a small red stone. I was almost certain he wasn't aware that he'd given it to me in the end. He almost dropped it when I let go of his hand to get into the car. But I held onto it, storing it in the drawer of my nightstand next to Lissa and Sydney's picture. I decided to wear it today, not just because I liked it, but because of how having it on me made me feel. As if Dimitri was always there in a way. Keeping an eye on me. Keeping me safe.

"A woman like you deserves to be showered by diamonds and gold."

"A woman like me? You don't really know anything about me."

"I know plenty about you", he said, his eyes becoming impossibly dark.

"Is that so?", I shot, feeling that rebellious _punch him_ side buck up despite all of my desperate attempts to keep it at bay.

"Well, we do have some friends in common", he tittered, spinning me elegantly.

"Friends like?"

"Jesse Zeklos, for instance", he said nonchalantly, but as soon as that name left his lips I felt a chill crawl up my spine.

"Jesse and I are not exactly friends", I nearly hissed, almost stepping on his foot when I missed a beat.

"Oh, my mistake", he said in a way that made it painfully obvious he wasn't in the habit of making those, "Do you feel the same way about Aaron?"

I froze. It forced him to a stop as well, but he didn't seem to mind it. Actually he seemed rather pleased by my reaction. He was toying with me. He was enjoying it. I was way past realizing why Adrian couldn't stand him. This guy was evil to his core. And if he played with people as pastime, I could only imagine what he did when he _wanted_ to hurt someone.

"That's between Aaron and me."

"Perhaps you should work things out with both of them. I heard holding grudges can be—", he trailed off, his eyes flickering behind me, "Toxic."

As soon as he let go of me I peered over my shoulder to see McCall making his way towards me. When our eyes met, I discreetly shook my head which made him halt. Behind him, I could see Dimitri practically shoving Adrian back to his seat. He had that crazed look I'd already seen when Ion and him locked eyes the last time we were all in the same room.

"I should probably let you get back to your keepers. Enjoy the rest of the party", Ion said in a singsong voice before he added, "Oh and if you get a chance, you should check out the gardens in the back. They're... good for the soul."

He stepped back and gave me a small bow, his lips tugging up before he walked away. I felt a little numb while I made my way to McCall. He asked me if I was alright and I just nodded, my mind spinning as I slowly let Ion's instruction sink in. The second I reached our table Adrian jumped back to his feet and exclaimed loud enough to make a few heads turn: "What did that bastard want?"

"He just wanted to dance", I replied as Dimitri's hand landed on my shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine", I said, giving him a reassuring smile before turning to Adrian, "I'm fine. Please, let it go. He's not worth your time and nerves."

"He's not worth the air he breathes", Adrian hissed.

"Speaking of air, I could use some", I mumbled, quick to add, "Stay here, okay? I'll be right back."

"You're crazy if you think I'm giving Ion another opportunity to poison you. He might've played nice this time, but I know how much he loves games. Whatever comes out of his mouth is either a lie or means to get you to fall into a trap."

"I'm sure he won't try anything after the way you reacted. He's an asshole, not stupid."

"I wouldn't bet on it", McCall mumbled, but to my utmost surprise Dimitri took my side.

"Rose is right. No one is going to start anything at this wedding. And neither are we", he warned when Adrian tried to protest, glancing at me when he continued, "Go. Don't take too long."

I was happy he trusted me, but also incredibly guilty that the one time he chose to have complete faith in me, I was going to let him down. Adrian was right. Ion provoked me into seeking something I wasn't even sure I wanted to find. Aaron or Jesse. One of them was here. I was sure of it. He mentioned them on purpose. He knew I wanted to see them, wanted to get answers or revenge. He must have seen it all over my face when he brought up their names. I just didn't know what he was getting out of it. But for right now, I didn't care.

Navigating the mansion the wedding was taking place in was a nightmare. From all the houses Ivaskov's had, this one was by far the largest. _How greedy do you have to be to want to take even more_? Adrian told me about his cousins desire to take a part of his legacy. They clearly didn't need it. They just wanted it. Unlike Adrian, they didn't care about the cost of power. They horded it and used it, to hell with the rest of the world. It made me sick. And the worst part: I'd willingly let Ion have control over me when I went right where he wanted me to.

Once I reached the double set of glass doors leading outside, I paused to glance around. As far as I could tell there was no one there, but I dug into the slit of my dress, making a woman that walked past me gasp in disapproval. I glared at her and snapped: "Mind your damn business lady."

She rushed away as I unbuckled the small leather holster strapped onto my thigh that had a throwing knife tucked in it. It wasn't much of a weapon, but it could do some damage. Dimitri let me have it in case I ever needed to buy time before he could get to me. I flipped the knife and carefully tucked it into my palm, then pushed the balcony door open and slipped outside.

I made sure my initial observation about no one being around was correct before I headed towards the garden. The stairs leading to it were poorly lit so I moved slowly, using my free hand to keep my long dress out of the way. As I neared the part where the stairs arched, I noticed someone standing there with their back turned to me. My heartbeat quickened while I squinted at the silhouette. Darkness made it difficult to make out their features at first, but then I took in that messy blond hair Lissa always tried to fix and that awful red jacket he loved wearing and I knew. It was Aaron.

One sharp intake of breath was how long it took for me to go from joyous _this is my friend_ to furious _he betrayed me_. Rage rose in me like bile and it came flying out in a shriek: "You son of a bitch!"

He twirled around in panic as I closed the distance between us and grabbed him, pushing him against the marble railing. I pressed my knife against his neck as he stared at me wide-eyed and stuttered: "R-rose, what are y-you doing here?"

"You know what I'm fucking doing here Aaron so don't play dumb."

"I thought you were—, Jesse told me you were—."

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure he did", I bellowed, trying to stop my hand from shaking so I wouldn't accidentally slit his throat. I was past being pissed at him, but I didn't want to kill him. I wasn't a murderer. I wasn't going to let him or Ion make me a monster. But I wanted to scare him. I wanted him to feel at least a segment of all the fear I had felt in the past few months. Especially since his betrayal was what led me to almost being raped and killed.

"Please, Rose, I'm s-sorry", he stammered, desperately clutching my hand as his bright blue eyes filled with tears.

"Why? Why did you do it?"

"I didn't think—."

"WHY?", I growled, pushing my body against his to hide that I was trembling.

"Lissa", he squealed while rage kept growing inside of me, especially when he said her name, "I did it to protect her."

 _I'll do it_ , a panicked thought crossed my mind, _I'll hurt him_. I blinked the anger out of my eyes and pushed myself away from him so hard I barely stayed on my feet. He wasn't so lucky. He fell to his knees, pinning my dress to the stairs. The knife felt heavy in my hand and I threw it away while he scrambled to his feet. I knew holding onto a weapon was a bad idea since I wasn't sure my anger would dial down enough for me to think straight and be able to stop myself from using it. Instead, I curled my hands into fists and took a deep breath before saying: "You want to protect her? Then get the fuck out of her life."

"But I-I love her", he coughed, backing away from me as far as he could.

"I don't care", I said in a voice so flat and cold I wasn't even sure if it was mine.

Aaron fixed my eyes and every inch of his face filled with something I couldn't recognize at first. And then it hit me. Maybe throwing my weapon away stopped me from physically harming him, but my words hurt him just fine. Only neither of us had time to digest it. His eyes flickered up behind me and then the voice I was hoping I wouldn't hear this soon filled the night: "Which part of _don't take too long_ went over your head Little Renegade?"

"The part where I didn't care what I was told to do", I snapped, peering over my shoulder at Adrian who ducked down to pick up my knife and stepped closer.

"Dimitri's not going to be happy to hear that", he sang, giving me a teasing grin.

"Yeah, well, that's his problem."

"Woah", he exclaimed, his eyes widening slightly, "What crawled up your ass?"

I wanted to calm down, but it was like an alien had taken over me and I couldn't control a single word coming out of my mouth. I was losing it and I didn't know how to stop myself from blurting out: "Why do you fucking care?"

Adrian's expression shifted from easy-going to deadly serious in seconds. I was sure somewhere deep down he would never hurt me, but his warning shook me out of the trans I'd fallen into: "Pick your next words carefully Rose."

I dug my teeth into my lip to stay quiet and just then noticed out of the corner of my eye Aaron trying to slip away while no one was paying attention to him. But even when he seemed distracted, Adrian always noticed everything around him.

"You seem somewhat familiar", he suddenly mused, scanning Aaron who froze with a deer caught in the headlights expression, "Have I threatened you before?"

"N-no, I don't think so", Aaron replied, honestly looking like a small, innocent child next to Adrian.

"Hmm", Adrian murmured before motioning me to the mansion, "Shall we?"

I didn't want to, but I forced myself to move. I took the knife he held up, putting it back in its place and then faced Aaron again while saying: "One of these days, I'll come back home and when I do, you better not be there."

"Rose, please—."

"I'd listen to her", Adrian cut in, giving him a sly smile, "Rose and I disagree on some things, but this night would've ended very differently if I was the one who found you first."

Aaron gulped as Adrian took my hand and secured it around his arm, adding: "Tell Jesse he's up next. But, unlike you, he won't be given an option to pack up and leave. Instead, we'll pack _him_ in a bodybag. So be smart... don't join him."

With that, we left him alone and scared. I knew exactly how he felt.

 **POV: Adrian**

I pushed back against the car seat to straighten up and fixed on Rose. I chose not to tell Dimitri about her _misadventure_ at the wedding. I knew he'd get angry and the last thing I needed was for them to fight again. But he was far from stupid. It was more than obvious something had happened in his absence, if nothing then because of the deafening silence filling the limo from top to bottom. If he asked, I'd tell him the truth, but he wouldn't. I knew he didn't want to know which still didn't stop that familiar worried line from showing up on his face.

Rose's hand was pressed against her chest and it took me a moment to figure out why. She was playing with her bullet. Both of her necklaces were present, plus a new ring I figured she bought when she went shopping with Dimitri. Though all of her jewelry seemed like it was only there for adornment, I couldn't shake this feeling that she wore it as a shield of sorts.

 _I don't care._ Those words rang through my hand again and I felt concern ignited within me. It wasn't about the words themselves, but the way she'd said them. It was how cold she sounded. So unlike the Rose I knew. And seeing her now: lips set tight, deep frown, eyes without their usual fire; I could tell she was different. This ugly world I'd dragged her into was changing her. I hated myself for it.

"Are you hungry?", Dimitri prompted, brushing her arm to attract her attention.

"No."

"You sure?", he persisted, giving her a warm smile, "We can turn the car around and go to Bassetts for ice-cream at least."

"No. I want to go home."

You knew everything had gone to shit when Dimitri was willingly offering to go stuff himself with frozen desert and Rose was shooting his offer down. I sighed, leaning over to tap on the partition. The car immediately began easing to a stop, making both Rose and Dimitri glance at me curiously. I kicked the door open as I unbuttoned my jacket and said: "Get out."

"What?", they asked in unison.

"Get out", I repeated, stripping and tossing my jacket away.

Rose rolled her eyes and grabbed the handle to leverage herself out. Dimitri was about to do the same, but I stopped him and ordered: "You're staying."

He opened his mouth to protest, but I was already out the door, slamming it shut before he could get a word out. I tapped on the roof and the engine started. Rose crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing me while she asked: "Are you punishing me or something?"

Instead of replying, I gestured down the road and then took the lead. After a few steps, I heard her heels clicking on the pavement which told me she chose going after me over staying alone in the middle of nowhere. It was a good call because I had no qualms about leaving her here. I slowed my pace to let her catch up. As soon as she did, she added: "Is there a reason we're doing this?"

I stayed quiet, patiently waiting for the inevitable. After the day we had I wasn't surprised to see her breaking faster than she usually would. She threw her hands up and exclaimed: "Isn't it enough that I have to walk in these heels? You really think the silent treatment is necessary?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because maybe, just _maybe_ , that will make you realize how pissed I am."

"Because I confronted Aaron?"

"Because you went on a solo mission and put yourself in danger."

"Danger? I was the armed one."

"And what if he took your knife?", I asked, stopping abruptly, "Or his brother or anyone of his friends came to help him? What then Rose?"

"Then I'd fight. Just like you would so don't—."

"You're not me Rose! You can't be."

"Why not?"

"Because you're better", I shouted, making her flinch away, "You're better and I won't let you become anything less. I love you, just the way you are, and I'll fight for you to stay that person with everything I've got."

"I—", she started, but then blinked at me and exclaimed, "Wait, did you just tell me that you love me for the first time while yelling at me?"

"So what if I did?", I snapped, but in my mind I was going a hundred percent _oh shit_. It wasn't that I feared those words or had a hard time saying them, but after so many years of only thinking of them, I was shocked they came out like this.

"So that doesn't fucking count."

"Really Rose? Fine. You know what? I care about you. I want to protect you and keep you safe. I want you in my life. I. Love. You. So please stop being so damn stubborn."

"I thought you didn't want me to change", she chuckled, cocking her eyebrow.

"I have a gun and I'll use it."

"Okay", she said, closing the distance between us and throwing her arms around my neck, "My mascara is too expensive to be ruined by tears, but know that I'm feeling a lot of things on the inside. Also, I love you too."

I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tightly, nestling my face into the crook of her neck. I could feel her heart beating hard against her chest and mine. As we stood there, it began to slow its pace and I didn't let go of her until it was calm. She slipped her hand in mine and asked: "Can we go home now?"

"We better 'cause I'm sure Dimitri will send out a search party soon", I laughed, clutching her hand as we began walking, "Besides I don't want him to think that I'm trying to steal his girlfriend."

"I'm not his girlfriend."

"Righttt", I drawled while she shook her head.

It took about fifteen minutes until I caught sight of the main gate. By then, I was piggybacking Rose who spent ten out of those fifteen minutes bitching about the soreness of her feet. I had to admit, I wouldn't want to walk in those heels either after spending the entire day in them. Dimitri was waiting for us on the porch so I waved at him after setting Rose down.

"Hold up", she said when I moved towards him, bending to reach for something on her dress, "How did, whatever the hell this is, get here?

She held up a small piece of plastic and it only took me one glance to figure out what it was. I shook it out of her hand and stomped on it, gasping: "Tracker."

"Adrian", Dimitri yelled just before headlights flashed at us.

 **POV: Rose**

It all happened so fast I didn't even have time to think. Four jeeps appeared out of nowhere, people spilling out of them while they were still moving. I only saw their guns for a second, but they were some serious artillery. Next thing I knew I was basically dragged into the shrubs and then shoved towards the darkness. For a few very confusing moments, I couldn't tell where I was and which way I was supposed to go. Luckily, the hand that kept my head down guided me until I was falling through a door and onto something semi-soft. The lights went on, forcing me to blink until I could adjust and that's when I realized Adrian and I ended up inside his gym. I scrambled up from the mat I was sprawled over, watching him move towards the floor to ceiling rack with weights and grabbing onto it.

"Come help me", he instructed and I wasted no time obeying.

We pulled on the rack until it tipped over and came crashing down. As soon as it was gone I realized its purpose wasn't only to store equipment. As he clambered onto the rack I exclaimed: "You have a secret passage?"

"It's just a back-up door", he elaborated while pressing the biometric lock on it.

"To where?", I asked, but he didn't have to answer because the door clicked and he pushed it back to reveal the ammo room.

He offered me a hand and helped me over the rack. A loud bang spilled through the gym and I knew that meant whoever was after us was one door away. Adrian quickly put another one between us, locking and bolting it. I kicked my heels off and charged towards the weapons, wanting to arm myself up to my teeth as soon as possible. The moment I wrapped my fingers around a gun a shower of bullets rained on the door, the sound of them hitting steal so loud I had to cover my ears to hear my own thoughts. I jumped when Adrian touched me, moving me out of the way.

"Adrian", I cried out in panic that was oddly increased by his uncanny calmness and lack of speed, "There's like twenty people out there trying to kill us and the only thing that's stopping them is that door. What the fuck are we going to do?"

"Actually, it's more like six", he replied, unbuttoning and rolling up his sleeves.

"Oh I'm sorry I wasn't specific enough", I exploded as he ducked and grabbed a duffle bag from the bottom drawer of the cabinet positioned in the middle of the room, "Must be the fact that I'm busy praying for a miracle."

Adrian's head jerked to the side like a dog who detected something others didn't and his lips slowly pulled up before he mumbled: "That miracle has a name."

And then suddenly the persistent gunshots silenced. Adrian put the duffle on top of the cabinet and moved back towards the door. He began unlocking it and I all but shrieked: "Are you insane? Don't op—."

All of my protests died on my lips once he moved to let Dimitri in. In the midst of all the chaos, I didn't even have time to allow myself to think about what was happening to him. Seeing him now with his shirt slightly ripped on one sleeve, a fast forming bruise on the edge of his chin and hair tousled, but alive and well, I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding and ran into his embrace.

"I'm okay", he whispered as I squeezed my shaky arms around his waist.

He kissed the top of my head before I pulled away and noticed a figure standing behind him. I thought it was McCall, but then I met crystal blue eyes and gasped in surprise: "Christian?"

"Yeah I know, talk about perfecttiming", he sneered, then turned to Adrian who was cramming as many firearms as he could into his duffle, "Hey boss. How's it going?"

"Breezy. You enjoying your welcome home party?"

"It's the best I ever had."

Adrian gave him a bitter smile then focused on Dimitri, saying: "Give it to me."

"We are surrounded. They haven't stop coming. McCall's with team two."

"Are there any good news?"

"We've got about two minutes of breathing time."

"That's _good_ news?", I cried as Dimitri reloaded and collected more weapons.

"How do we get out of here?", Adrian muttered into his chin and I wasn't sure if he was thinking out loud or was just as clueless as I was.

"I have an idea", Christian supplied.

"Oh thank goodness", I cried out while Adrian cocked his eyebrow at him.

"It involves fire", Christian carefully pushed out, making Dimitri's head snap up and Adrian's eyes widen.

"Absolutely fucking not", Adrian exploaded, throwing the overfilled duffle onto his shoulder before picking up a rifle.

"Just a small one. A diversion. So we can, you know, get the hell out of dodge."

"I vote yes", I announced as Dimitri approached me and took out his knife.

I watched him duck and scoop up my dress, giving me an apologetic look before digging the knife into the soft material. He began ripping the lower parts, giving my legs more room to move. As much as I hated destroying a beautiful piece of clothing, it was smart thinking.

"Fine", Adrian gave in, pointing his rifle at Christian, "But if you burn down my home, I'll kill you."

"I'll take my chances", he said before quickly laying out his plan.

By the time we put our efforts into it I realized why he had omitted some details of what he had in mind. Adrian and Dimitri weren't there to see us slapping C-4 all over the ammo room, but I was sure they were going to be pissed. I distantly heard the wheezing and clanging of bullets and prayed none of them managed to hit my friends. As soon as we were done, Christian turned to me and asked: "Do you think you can sneak up to the frontline without getting killed?"

"Why?"

"We have to let them know—."

"You better be ready", Adrian's shout interrupted as he and Dimitri stumbling in covered in sweat and panting like they ran a marathon.

"You were supposed to hold them back", Christian exclaimed.

"We did our best. Move!"

We headed towards the main door and I didn't have to ask to know whoever was trying to kill us was right on our heels. We made a break for the treeline, Adrian covering our backs while Dimitri led the way. I heard Christian warn Adrian not to shoot unless he absolutely had to and threw the detonator into my hands. As I tried to catch it, I stumbled and felt Dimitri grabbing my arm to keep me going.

"On my signal", Christian shouted while we dashed into the woods.

Being barefooted in a situation where you have to run for your life was not ideal and despite how improbable it was that I'd be able to move this fast in my heels, I really missed them. I didn't know there were this many things that could poke, cut and hit your feet in endless ways with each step. _If we make it out of this I'm getting a fucking pedicure_ , I thought before bullets started flying over our heads.

"NOW!", Christian cried out and I pressed the detonator immediately.

So far I'd lived through two explosions in my vicinity, but this one felt stronger, louder and scarier than either. It made the ground quake and deafened all of us a solid few minutes after it ended. We kept running despite how difficult it was to stay on our feet. The first sounds that made it past the buzzing in my ears were Adrian's furious shouts: "You said a small fire. This isn't JUST a fire and it's definitely NOT fucking small!"

"Yeah, well, kill me later", Christian retorted before Dimitri yelled: "Split up!"

My lungs were in my throat by the time Dimitri and I made it onto a road. I had no clue where we were or how close our enemies got, but I made Dimitri stop so I'd catch a breath to avoid collapsing. He gave me a second to compose myself, but then nudged: "Come on Rose, we have to keep moving."

"Y-yeah, I'm—, let's go."

He took a few steps forward as I straightened up, but then he froze.

"What's wrong?"

When he turned to look at me, there was a dazed look in his eyes. I reached for him as he plucked something out of his neck and held it up. It was a dart. Before I could get a word out, he swayed on his feet and warned: "Run."

I tried to catch him, but only ended up tumbling to the ground with him. The fall made my gun slip from my hand and lose it somewhere in the darkness. I shook, pushed and even considered slapping Dimitri, but no matter what I tried or how many times I said his name, he was out cold. I heard leaves ruffling and glanced up just as someone stepped out of the shadows. A chill crawled up my spine as I recognized them and I couldn't help but gasp: "Not you."

"Guess again."

* * *

 **I'm hereeeee! Sorry for the wait both today and over the course of last week! To make it up to y'all, I made this chapter longer than usual! And it has a LOT of action (which I'm convinced I write awfully XD)! I hope it was fun to read! I know that cliff-hanger was brutal, but stay calm... the following chapter will surely be up next weekend cause it's almost finished! Before I get down to the question of the week part, I'd like to once again thank everyone who's read, followed, faved and reviewed this story so far! I'm blown away by the amount of support and feedback I've been getting! When I began writing this story, I never thought it become this popular! You guys ROCK!**

 **Question of the week: So I found this question somewhere on google and it really got me thinking which is why I decided to use it: Would you rather b** **e stranded on a deserted island alone or with someone you don't like? After a little debating with myself, I chose the second one! Maybe because I hate being alone or because I've read and saw way too many stories with foes turning to friends/lovers tropes XD**

 **Songs: Kill your Conscience - Shinedown, Fear - X Ambassadors**

 **XOXO T!**


	37. CH37 - Unexpected Allies

**POV: Sydney**

I was woken by muffled shouting and a ferocious slam of a door. I peeked at the clock before rolling off the bed. I picked up my bathrobe, blindly trying to stick my arm into it so I could pull it on. It was too early in the morning for Lissa and Aaron to be up and it was definitely out of the ordinary for them to be fighting. I considered staying in my room, but curiosity and worry propelled me to the hall. I opened my door and called out to them, but all I got in return was silence. _That was definitely odd_. I lingered at the door, trying to decide what I should do. I did want to make sure they were okay, but I also didn't want to pry.

Over the course of the last couple of weeks I'd been their unwanted roommate. I knew Lissa told me to make myself at home the moment I crossed the threshold, all teary eyed and confused, but I tried to give them their space. Just because my life was falling apart didn't mean I wanted to disrupt theirs. After I left Brayden, I stayed at a hotel for a few nights and tried to continue going to work like I was perfectly fine. But I wasn't. And for the first time in my life I didn't want to deal with my problems. I just wanted to avoid them. So I decided to spend the rest of my annual leave hiding from the world in Lissa and Aaron's guest room. After I admitted to myself that ditching Brayden's phone calls wasn't really a valiant or permanent solution, I faced him. Let's just say that didn't go well. So now, I was fianceless, homeless and the way things were going, probably unemployed soon which pretty much meant I'd hit rock bottom. Regardless, I wanted to make sure my friends were happy or at least alright which was why I decided I'd rather see what was going on and try to help solve it than pretend like I didn't hear a thing.

"Lissa?", I called out as I ghosted through the hallway. It took a second before I heard Aaron's weak response.

"She left."

I moved faster, stopping at the entrance to their room. He was standing next to their bed, holding a heap of clothes in his hands. His eyes were filled with tears and he looked completely lost. I was slightly worried already, but as I faced him that worry doubled. I didn't want to make him feel even worse by attacking him with questions so I only asked: "Are you okay?"

"No", he muttered, turning to drop the clothes into a suitcase I only then noticed on the floor behind him, "I did something. Something bad."

"I'm sure you guys will work it out", I said, taking a couple of steps towards him and waving at the suitcase, "And this surely isn't necessary. I know her, she won't kick you out, no matter how angry she might be."

"She's not kicking me out. I'm leaving. I have to leave."

 _Leaving_! I didn't know if the word hit me harder because of my current situation or if I was freaked out that whatever happened managed to escalate so much as I slept, but I found myself panicking. I tried to collect myself and started: "Aaron, look—."

"No!", he burst, making me jump, "You can't fix this Sydney. You can't help me or make it better. No one can help me. I did this. I did it."

"Did what?"

"I—", he started loudly, but then shook his head and mumbled, "I can't. Leave it be. I can't put you in danger too."

"Danger? What kind of danger? Aaron, please tell me what's going on."

He turned his back to me, frantically tossing his clothes on top of the mess in his suitcase while rambling: "I can't tell you. I just can't. I don't want another one of my friends to be harmed because of me. I never wanted that."

"Another one of your friends? What are you t—?, I started asking, but then it hit me. It was like a puzzle solving itself in my mind, its pieces falling into place on their own. His odd behaviour in the past couple of months, Lissa's complaints of how she had a feeling like he was hiding something and Rose not wanting me to tell Lissa I saw her. Because sheʼd tell Aaron. And Aaron... _oh my God_.

"Rose. You're talking about Rose, aren't you?", I exclaimed, making him turn to me wide-eyed, "I knew it. I knew you had something to do with it. I told Lissa, I told the cops, but no one believed me. You—, you made me apologize to you."

He crossed the distance between us in two gigantic steps, grabbing me so tightly I felt my skin bruise. He shook me and blurted: "You're wrong. I didn't take her. And I—, I wanted to help her get back home, but he told me it wasn't safe. Rose wasn't safe here. Or Lissa. And he told me, he promised me if I helped him he'd protect her. He promised. And he has friends. Powerful friends. They told me its the only way. Doing what they said was the only way we all get to live."

"Who are you talking about? Who told you all those things?"

"He said he'd save her from that monster", Aaron kept rambling while I tried to wiggle out of his grasp, "But I saw her. She was still with him. She wanted to be with him. He was wrong. They were all wrong. But I'd already put that thing on her and it was too late. And now I don't know who to trust. I don't know if he'll hurt her."

My head was spinning from everything he spewed out, all the people he refused to name, all the things I couldn't even begin to understand. I tried to make sense of at least some of it, attempting for the last time to get him to tell me one whole piece of information so I'd have somewhere to start: "Listen, there's still time. You can help her. You just have to tell me who the monster is. Please, its all I need."

"No."

"Aaron, if you're leaving, I need to know who to protect Lissa and myself from. You have to tell me", I pushed desperately, trying to play every trick I could.

"Rose won't let him hurt you", he mumbled, finally letting go of me.

"What if Rose isn't there to stop him?", I prompted desperately. I fixed his eyes and for a few breathless moments I could literally see his internal battle before it all ended with a dejected expression and obvious defeat.

"Adrian Ivashkov. She is with Adrian Ivashkov."

 **POV: Kit**

I kicked the gravel and cursed, my eyes watering from the smoke that still hung heavy in the air. There was no trace of Dimitri and Rose. Every time the men we sent out came back empty handed, I ordered them back, but it was pointless. We weren't going to find them here. I knew it and so did Alto. He cleared his throat, waiting until I glanced at him to say: "It's time to call it quits Kit. We're wasting time. We've got to look elsewhere."

"Do you want to go back and tell Adrian we can't find them _again_? I don't want a repeat of the last time they vanished like this and I'm sure you don't either. We were lucky to keep our heads then, let alone our jobs."

"If you ask me, we're just postponing the inevitable", he shrugged, marching off towards the cars.

I threw my head back, fixating on the murky sky as I tried to think of something we could do to improve our chances. Anything really. I heard someone shuffling through the gravel and prepared to force them back to whatever road I assigned them to, but then they said: "Um, Sir, I found this and it keeps buzzing. I think it belongs to Rose."

My eyes flickered to Ashford who was holding a cell in his hands, staring at the screen that lit up just as he finished speaking. I grabbed it and picked up before the call disconnected. As soon as I answered, a woman's frantic voice filled the line: "Oh thank God. Listen, I know you told me not trace your number, but you weren't picking up and I think you're in danger. So, don't be mad, but I'm in the middle of nowhere Adrian Ivashkov has taken you to."

" _Sir, there's movement on the main road_ ", Castile's voice filled my headset and I covered the phone's mic to address my men, telling them I wanted her caught.

"And yeah, I know he is your kidnapper", the woman continued while I signaled Ashford to take over the other conversation.

I knew it was only a matter of time before the woman became suspicious of the silence on the other side of the line, but I was hoping it wouldn't happen as soon as it did. Chase, one of the men Croft sent to help us with our search, announced he was closing in on her just as she burst: "Rose, can you hear me? I didn't dig I swear. Aaron told me—."

Her voice trailed off and then she shrieked. _We had her_. I took off with Ashford right behind me, making it onto the road in time to see two men attempting to rip a petite blonde out of a car. People rarely let themselves be grabbed without at least trying to put up a fight, but she was astonishingly feisty. When they got her out, she managed to land a couple of impressive punches before Chase's gun ended up pressed against her head.

"Easy", I warned, approaching them as she straightened up and stared me down with defiance. That's when I recognized her. Adrian made us memorize all faces and names that were in any way connected to Rosemarie while he was preparing to make his move and kidnap her. The woman before me was Sydney Sage.

"I'd think twice before killing me", she said, making Chase roll his eyes, "There are still some cops who aren't corrupt and under your boss's thumb. If my friend doesn't hear from me in the next twenty minutes, he'll be giving them a call."

"A lotta good that'll do ya Sweetheart", Chase chuckled which apparently was a bad idea. Her eyes narrowed only slightly and, before any of us could move, she wrestled the gun out of his hands and pointed it right back at him. I was way too awed by her to react straight away, but after Chase got a good three seconds of staring at her dumbstruck I moved.

"You're Rose's friend Sydney, right?"

"Yes", she barked, peering at me briefly, "Where is she?"

I considered telling her the truth, but instead decided on something in-between: "Rose is with one of her bodyguards. Now, please, put the gun down and—."

"Yeah, I don't think so", she retorted, moving her aim to me, "And just so we're clear, I took self-defence classes so there's more where this came from."

 _Croft should reconsider keeping this guy_ , I thought when Chase nearly blew my effort to buy Castile time to sneak up to Sydney, by saying: "Too bad we won't get to see it."

She almost managed to turn around in time, detecting the threat before it was fully on her. Castile was faster though, sending her into oblivion with a sharp hit of his gun on her head. He caught her before she could fall, tossing her over his shoulder and asking: "Where to Sir?"

"The trunk. Tell everyone we're heading back."

I snatched my phone out of my pocket and dialed Adrian as I headed to the cars. He didn't answer straight away which made me tense up. His great aunt advised him to stay put, but I knew he wasn't used to following orders after being on the giving part of them for so long. Especially in a situation where he'd feel useless, restless and angry. He couldn't do anything we couldn't though. He was just one man. A hell of a man, but still only human. I managed to reach him with another try. I noticed his voice was breathy and strained when he asked: "Found them?"

"No, but I found somebody else. I'm bringing her to you."

 **POV: Sydney**

The first few moments of lucidness I thought I was smacked back in time. There was a muffled voice somewhere left of me, but instead of a door slamming shut, it sounded like one was being opened. A part of my brain tried to convince me what I thought had happened to me was only a bad dream, but the pounding at the back of my head told a different story. While I fought to open my eyes, I felt someone touch my shoulder while they said: "And get some ice for her head."

I peeked through my lashes and saw something green. It was a mesmerizing and actually quite calming color. As my vision began sharpening the green started to take shape and I soon realized it was someone's eyes. _Where did I see those eyes before_?, I groggily thought as the person they belonged to hovered above me. In my attempts to fully wake up, I shook my head and pushed against the soft thing I was lying on. The green-eyed person tightened their hold on my shoulder, their voice soothing when they said: "Careful. You've had one hell of a morning."

"What—, where am I?"

"Somewhere safe", he replied and then finally my brain kick-started.

I jumped, knocking his hand off me while trying to get away from him. I slid off the sofa I'd been laying on and stumbled towards the door. _Adrian Ivaskov_. Two times I've seen those eyes and I knew they belonged to Adrian Ivashkov. Rose's kidnapper. The monster of Aaron's story. The guy who didn't let me pass the door. His palm slammed it shut the moment I managed to pry it open. I tried, failed and then tried again to elbow his ribs, but he awaited both of my attempts. He spun me around with speed that left me breathless, pinning my body with his and tilting his head so we were face to face when he breathed out: "I've had one hell of a morning too so don't try your self-defence class bullshit on me."

"What have you done with Rose?", I pushed out, not sure if I was whispering or yelling since my ears were filled with the sound of my own erratic heartbeat.

He ignored my question, giving me only enough room to take my cell from him. Those green eyes I'd found so calming earlier made me paralize in a mix of fear and... _excitement_? I didn't have time to fully process my body or mind's reaction to him since he quickly instructed: "Call your friend. Tell them you're okay and you haven't found what you were looking for."

"And if I don't?"

"You will", he said in a way that made it clear it wasn't up for discussion.

Telling Trey those lies would mean I was throwing my lifeline out the window. I haven't even told him why I needed him to trace the number, but he was still the only person who even remotely knew where I was. Or at least where I had been. I left Lissa a message, telling her I'd be staying with my parents for a while. She would check in on me eventually, but she'd probably try to give me some space, especially after how I'd been moping around her apartment. And with the Aaron situation, she also had other things to worry about. But not calling Trey wasn't a solution either because first, I had more pressing issues to think about now and I didn't even know if there was a later and second, I doubted the police could find me when I had no clue where I was either. Finally, I dialed him and parroted the bullshit line Ivashkov served me while staring at his motionless face. As soon as I finished, he took my phone back and tugged me away from the door to open it. He handed my phone to someone before closing the door again and facing me.

"Will you let me see Rose now?"

"No", he said as he strolled over to the sofa and sat down, propping his arms on the backrest.

"Why not?"

"Because Rose isn't here", he replied calmly, but wore this odd expression that I couldn't quite decode.

"Where is she then?", I asked, finally paying attention to his attire.

The two times we've seen each other, I couldn't help but notice how he dressed since not many young men wore such clothes. It seemed expensive, modern and neat suits were his self-made dress code. This time parts of his suit were missing and all of it was far from neat. His shirt and pants were crumpled as if they were slept in or at least spent a lot of time in. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and his collar unbuttoned more than it should be. The wrinkles on his shirt were the worst around his shoulder holster and there were a couple of variously sized, red splotches scattered around his clothes. I was certain those weren't ketchup. I eyed the cracked skin of his knuckles and gulped thinking about the person who was on the receiving end of his punches.

"I was hoping you could help me figure that out", he huffed before giving me a tight-lipped smile, "So why don't you tell me what Aaron Drozdov told you."

"Why would I help you?"

He quirked his eyebrow at me, a smirk that I remembered seeing on him making a brief and faint appearance as he chuckled: "Rose told me you're strong-willed. She wasn't wrong."

"She talked about me with _you_?"

His eyes flickered to the carpet and he chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. I held my breath until he faced me again. The tension that erupted from him when he spoke was nothing compared to the one when he was silent. He took a steady breath and stood up, moving towards me while he said: "I'm not your enemy. At least I don't want to be. I want to find Rose just as much as you do and that's the reason you should help me. You don't have to like it, but you really need to do it unless you're willing to gamble with her life."

"You think her life is in danger?", I asked though I already knew the answer.

"I know it is. I just don't know who's endangering it yet."

I knew better than to trust a man like him, but I trusted Rose. She wouldn't have chosen to stay by his side unless she thought that was for the best. And out of all that Aaron had told me, one thing was certain: whoever the other _he_ in his story was, they were no better than the man before me. So I forced myself to push out a quick: "I didn't get a lot from Aaron. He was pretty frantic."

"Tell me anyway. You never know what could be helpful."

"He kept claiming someone was trying to save Rose from you. This man that he wouldn't name apparently promised him he'd help protect her. He also said, and I quote, I'd already put that thing on her and it was too late. I have no idea—."

"So _he_ put the tracker on her", Ivashkov cut in, frowning thoughtfully.

"Tracker?"

"Yes. Rose was tracked back to our home."

"You mean _your_ home?"

He had started pacing while we talked, but he paused to smile at me and said: "I mean exactly what I said. You know... you kind of remind me of someone. He is very picky when it comes to words too."

"Well, I'm sure he is a smart man. Now, you were saying."

"Right, so he put the tracker on her. But who gave it to him? Zeklos hasn't made contact with him since I had him followed and Wesley is too big an idiot to be a mastermind of anything which leaves... well pretty much anyone there."

"Wait, Jesse Zeklos? You think he has Rose."

Ivashkov blinked in confusion and then mumbled: "Ah yes, you know him too. I forgot he's Rose's ex. Regardless, it can't be him, he doesn't want to protect her, he tried to kill her."

"I'm sorry, what?", I exclaimed but he ignored me, continuing to talk to himself.

"Unless Drozdov believed in his lies. But even if that's the case I'm still missing the middleman. Zeklos would have to work with someone—."

"Okay, how am I supposed to help you if you don't discuss this with me?"

"Sorry", he sighed and seemed sincere, "There's a lot Rose hasn't told you or at least I think there is, but right now I don't have time to explain it. Every minute counts. Did he say anything else? Anything at all?"

"No, I don't—", I began saying, but then I remembered one thing he mumbled a few seconds before he left, "He mentioned something called Ion and how he has to get to it."

Ivashkov's eyes widened and I watched as their vibrant green shifted into a dark tone that made them look completely different. His face filled with anger and he dashed towards the door before I could even blink. I heard him bark: "She stays in this room."

"Hey, wait, you can't—", I began to protest, but he disappeared and a red haired guy stopped me from going after him.

 _Shit_. _What now_?

 **POV: Adrian**

This was the one time in my life I absolutely couldn't allow my emotions to get the better of me. Dimitri wasn't here to keep me in check so I had to do it on my own. For him. For Rose. As I pushed the door open a bell above my head rang. I tensed at the sound, but kept on walking until I reached the counter. There sat an old woman I remembered seeing those handful of times I had to come here. She always had a grumpy frown and never looked up from her crosswords. Her blue, dusty fan was there too, positioned the same way it was the last time, doing little to bring the temperature down. I guess there was only so much one could do to make hell comfortable. And Tarasov was hell, its atmosphere completed with an unbearable scent of chemicals that mixed with the stale air and the old woman's hair spray. Tarasov officially offered drycleaning services, but anyone with a bit of brain would quickly figure out that despite the nylon covered clothes hanging around the place, no one had cleaned anything around here in their life, old lady with crosswords included.

"I'm here to pick up a suit", I said while she scribbled the word _leader_ down.

"Name?", she barked as she moved on to the next clue.

"Ivashkov."

That got her attention. She peered over the rim of her glasses at me, then jerked her head towards the back. I pushed my way down the stuffy corridor, fighting a few twenties looking dressed that almost fell on top of my head. When I reached the end, I ran into three men perched on small wooden chairs around a crammed table. They were playing cards, sloshing their drinks whenever they picked them up while their joints created a thick cloud of smoke that made it hard to breathe.

"Gentlemen", I sang, cutting their laughter and banter short, "Would you kindly point me towards your boss? I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"Cine dracu ești?", one asked, putting his cards down and laying his hand on the gun he'd placed next to his glass.

"Adrian Ivashkov", I replied, digging through my mind to remember what little Romanian I knew, "Sunt sigur că ai auzit de mine."

All of them were on their feet and cocking their guns fascinatingly fast judging by how high I gathered they were when I registered their strongly reddened eyes and completely relax face muscles. I stayed calm so I'd give them no reason to get trigger happy and added: "I'll take that as a yes on knowing of me. Now, I'm not armed and not looking for a fight so send me on my way."

"I don't think so", the one who addressed me already said in a strong accent and then banged on the door they were guarding with his elbow, shouting: "Codrin!"

The door swung open and Codrin, presumably, joined us. He spat out a bunch of vaguely familiar curses when he saw me, then hissed something at the men. The three argued with him briefly, but then put their weapons down and moved to let me pass. Codrin motioned me to a wall and I propped my palms on it, spreading my legs to make it easier for him to pat me down. When he finished, he grunted a quick: "Let's go."

"Have a nice game fellas", I shot to the guards before stepping through the door. Codrin was right on my heels and seemed annoyed when I paused to take a deep breathe. He waited for me to start moving though, carefully watching me when I slipped past the crates with rifles and packages of cocaine. It was nearly comical that he thought anyone would be stupid enough to try to steal from his boss even if they weren't surrounded by his men. Thinking I'd steal proved he didn't know shit about me. He only knew who I was. I wouldn't be surprised to find a picture of myself hanging somewhere around here with _intruder_ written over it.

When we reached the office located in the furthest corner of the building Codrin all but shoved me inside and closed the door behind me. I watched as Ion turned to scan me, his expression filling with a sickening dose of satisfaction as he said in a low and playful voice: "I was wondering when you'd come groveling."

"I'm not groveling", I responded, trying to keep myself from strangling him just for being a world class asshole, "I'm here to make a deal."

"What makes you think I'm interested in anything you have to offer?", he asked while leaning on his desk and crossing his arms over his chest.

"You were always interested in what I had to offer", I retorted, taking the liberty of sitting down despite his lack of hospitality. He probably would've protested if my decision didn't bring us to a position where he was hovering above me. I did consider standing so I'd show him I wouldn't bend into submission, but knew it was the only way he'd get off his high horse and listen.

"Perhaps", he mused, eyeing me like prey, "But my interest are not as exclusive as you think, just like you're not the only one who has something to offer."

"You and I both know I can top any poor sucker who sold their soul to you."

He laughed and a wave of nausea washed over me at the sound. Every instinct I had was screaming at me not to do what I was about to, but I knew my pride and my desires weren't more valuable than my family. Without them I had nothing. I was nothing. So, I smacked my ego down and buried my dignity, forcing myself to say the words that made me sick: "Let's settle this within family."

"You and I both know blood doesn't make us family."

"True, but it makes us less eager to sheed that same blood too."

"Does it?", he challenged, picking up his phone to quickly type something, "I'm not so sure about that _cousin_. You've made some serious threats in the past."

"The past is the past."

"Yes", he mumbled thoughtfully, "Interesting observation."

The moment he fell silent I heard someone walk into his office. His eyes shot up and he smiled, but there was nothing genuine in his expression. A few clicks of heels later, a woman stepped into my peripheral view. She flung her dark, nearly black hair over he shoulder and my heart instantly skipped. I barely heard Ion as he added: "You remember Avery, don't you? I mean, the past is the past, but you two spent a lot of time together through it. Go ahead cousin, say hello."

 _You fucking bastard_ , was at the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed my words and tilted my head to meet those light grey eyes I haven't seen in years. She was just as beautiful as I remembered. Her face pale and shaped like a ceramic doll, only with lips so red it seemed like she always wore lipstick. She was a bit slimmer, but still curved in all the right places, the places I once explored and worshiped for hours. Until Ion took her from me.

"Adrian", she greeted, my name rolling off her lips hitting me right in the guts. I could still hear the echo of her whispering my name between kisses and after we said I love yous. For a long time I couldn't erase the picture of her moaning it in my bed, under the covers. And every woman I'd taken there after couldn't make me forget. Now, she used it as an acknowledgement. It hurt. More than I thought it would.

"Avery, good to see you", I pushed out, faking nonchalance the best I could.

"You too", she said and for a moment I almost thought she meant it.

"Darling, will you please give my sister a call?", Ion cut in, extending his arm to invite her closer, "Tell her I took care of that thing she asked me to."

Aaron Drozdov was the thing. I knew it and Ion knew I did. I accepted his game though, glancing around disinterestedly as Avery stepped into his embrace. With a quick nod she accepted the task she was given and kissed him. I was happy I'd decided to skip breakfast. Before she left, she did something I didn't expect. Her palm slipped on my shoulder and she squeezed it, giving me that familiar, warm smile she used to save only for me before saying: "It really is good to see you."

I only nodded and watched her go, taking a moment to compose myself before I proceeded to do what I intended all along. Pulling out a contract from my jacket that Codrin crumpled slightly while frisking me, I stood up and announced: "My offer."

Ion ripped the papers out of my hand and narrowed his eyes at them. He seemed to have read through the first few lines only before he exclaimed: "You think I'll fall for this bullshit?"

"No bullshit. I already signed it. You accept my deal and it's yours for good."

"You know it's no fun when I don't get to take it from you myself, but I'll bite", he commented with a dispassionate expression, but I still knew that was victory I could see in his eyes, "What do you want for it?"

"Tell me where they are."

"Who?", he said, but I was done playing around.

"You know exactly who. Their location for my casino. It's a one time offer Ion."

He rolled his eyes and waved to his desk while saying: "Help yourself to a pen."

* * *

 **I know, I know, y'all are gonna murder me for giving you a Romitriless chapter that only adds to the suspense, but come on... it was good, right? A lot of you have been asking about what was going on with Sydney and when she'll join the team so I hope this was satisfying! We've got the very first OC POV of the story anddddd the mention of Adrian's former lover! What do you guys think? Interesting? Boring? Fuck background stories, gives us Romitri ASAP? If you went for the third option, I'll have you know that they will be returning next week with a hell of a tense chapter! I'm really excited about it tbh! Anyhow, I really do hope this chapter was good enough to keep y'all alive until the next one! Let me know what you think!**

 **Question of the week: Okay so I have no idea why I haven't thought of this one before, but what's your name? If you are hellbent on keeping your anonymity, feel free to ignore this! Or if you don't want all of my readers to know it, PM me! My name is Tijana, but I go by Tia around here! I started going by that nickname when I was in USA and had my name butchered a few times XD And just in case you want to know how my name is actually pronounced: Just ignore the "j". It's sounds almost exactly the same with or without it! :)**

 **Songs: The Fear - The Score, Kingdom Fall - Claire Wyndham**

 **XOXO T!**

* * *

 **Translations (long live Google Translate):**

 **Cine dracu ești? = Who the hell are you?**

 **Sunt sigur că ai auzit de mine. = I'm sure you've heard of me.**


	38. CH38 - Kill or be Killed

**POV: Dimitri**

I fought to open my eyes, but an immense pressure wouldn't let me. I focused on my other senses as I tried to recall the last thing on my mind before I blacked out. I listened to rhythmic plops that sounded like drops falling into a pond as I remembered someone saying my name over and over again. I felt cold, but there was some lingering heat in my body from... _I was running_. _Adrian was with me_. _So was Rose_. _She was the one who called my name_. A gust of air tickled its way across my face before a hand brushed my hair off my forehead. I distantly heard someone say: "Wake up."

I tried to speak, but the only thing that left my body was a rumble. Familiar lips, soft and sweet, pressed against mine for a moment and then let out a whisper: "I really need you to look at me Dimitri."

The pressure on my eyes decreased and when they fluttered opened Rose leaned over me. She smiled, but there was unmistakable fear in her eyes. I realized then that my head was in her lap and her arms were cuddling me to her. I reached up, catching a loose curl hanging over he face and mumbled: "Roza."

"Hey", she sighed, glancing up, "Don't pass out on me again, okay?"

"What h—?", I started asking, but then memories crashed into my mind, the last being the sharp sting of a dart. _I was shot by a tranquilizer_. I attempted to sit up, but Rose readily pinned me and shook her head.

"You already tried that. It didn't end well. Take it slow, I need you here with me. He's probably going to come back soon."

"Who?"

She didn't get a chance to answer. Her eyes shot up and her body tensed just as I registered fast approaching footsteps. Ignoring her earlier advice I pulled myself away from her lap, following her gaze only to come face first with bars. I peered past them and saw someone moving through the shadows. Rose's palms pressed against my back and I was grateful for the support. The effects of what I was put down with were still keeping my body weak. I reached for the bars, but slumped back against Rose when she hastily moved to block my arms and hissed into my ear: "Don't touch them."

"She learned that the hard way", the stranger in the darkness chuckled.

 _That voice_. _Where did I hear that voice before_? It was difficult to think with the lingering haze in my mind, but I had this strong feeling of rage upon hearing the man speak. Rose did too. Every muscle in her body stiffened further beneath me when he added: "How are we doing in there?"

"This is the third time I've been kidnapped in the past three months", she said in that tone I'd learned to recognize as panic masked by sassiness, "It's getting old and thoroughly uninventive."

"This won't be like the previous times", he said as a light flicked on above us, at first forcing me to blink but then aiding my realization that we were trapped in a cage, "No, this time I won't let Dimitri Belikov or you slip through my fingers."

"So you're gonna kill us? That's your big scary plan?", Rose barked as I looked up at the man that had been number one on my hitlist for nearly a decade.

"Well, fortunately for you, your daddy wants you alive", Jesse Zeklos replied.

" _You_? You are working with Ibrahim?"

"Rosie, Rosie, keep up!", he sang while I tried to assess our surroundings and an escape route, deciding to deal with Zeklos' revelations later, " _I_ am working with Victor Dashkov and _he_ is working with your father. Yes, Cuteness, don't look so shocked. Did you really think your father wasn't going to sell Ivashkov down the river? I mean, they call him Zmey for a reason."

"Great, that's just perfect", she mumbled as he directed his attention at me while I tried to at least scramble to my knees.

"But nobody said shit about you Belikov. You know why? Because no one gives a flying fuck what happens to you. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure that if I'd asked _your_ daddy, he would've given me his fucking blessing to off you. Hell he might've lent me a hand if he wasn't locked up. So, yeah, you're going to die."

"If you touch him—", Rose started, but he cut her off.

"I won't... but you will", he laughed before every muscle in my body spasmed.

 **POV: Jesse**

My father was weak. He's always been weak. When the family throne lacked an heir he was first in line, but didn't have the guts to take that opportunity. Instead Matei became our leader. I hated Matei at times, but still admired the way he ran things. He was a natural. Our business bloomed under his rule and everyone was convinced his son would keep things top-notch when he took over one day. That plan however, had a fatal flaw. Ivan Zeklos had a flaw. He wasn't like his father. He was like mine. Worse, he was an even bigger coward.

I remembered the day he ran off. His mother cried for hours. I could hear it from the guest room I'd been staying in. Matei bellowed orders, storming through the house like a hurricane. He wanted Ivan found. Brought back where he belonged. The thing was, Ivan never belonged, never quite fit into the family so he refused to return. And that was the first time I realized my cousin's decision to go live a regular mundane life opened up the same opportunity for me my father once had before him. And I was going to take it.

In the following years, I did everything to make that opportunity more probable. Matei held on to the hope that Ivan would change his mind once he realized that life he was looking for wasn't as perfect as he thought it would be. But I kept an eye on him and knew the fool was happy with the way things were. He had a roof over his head, jobs that paid bills and kept him fed and, most importantly, a new kind of family. He found his place. A mediocre place in a mediocre life, but he was clearly satisfied with it. Or at least that's what I thought.

Matei became ill at some point and his wife managed to convince their son to at least come and see him. Ivan gave in, coming back when his father was down to his last days. And then I became worried because Matei's last wish was for Ivan to take over his rightful legacy. A chance for that to happen was miniature, but it was a chance I wasn't willing to ignore. So I took matters into my own hands. _It is a necessary sacrifice_ , I told myself when I gathered my men and gave them a target. _A fail-safe_. But deep down I was sorry. It was the first and only time I felt sorry for killing someone. Ivan and I weren't friends, but I couldn't deny he was an okay guy. Smart too. My men told me he knew the hit was coming from me.

After Ivan was gone I thought I'd put the last bump on my road behind me. That was until Dimitri Belikov put his name on my radar. At first, he was nothing but a nosy loose end. After a while, he was a living nightmare. This random nobody, this clueless guy who I thought would be a piece of cake to deal with, went from being Ivan's best friend to Adrian Ivashkov's right hand before I could even put the bullet meant for him in the chamber. And then everything went to shit. My plan fell apart, my life changed completely and I had to leave my home to avoid things blowing out of proportions. Dimitri Belikov fucked everything up for me. So, I'd been waiting for the day I'd get to reunite him with my cousin.

That day has come. That day was today.

"Haven't you had enough?", I asked as Rose curled in a ball and gasped for air.

"F-fuck y-you", she stammered out while Belikov attempted to get up, _again_.

"You've done that already. You were real good at it too."

"Unlike you", she breathed out, looking up from the floor at me.

I clicked the remote again, watching Belikov tumble back down as current raced through their cage and the shallow puddle they were in. Rose screamed, bending over in a weak and useless attempt to shield herself from the electricity. I bought this dump, just like the other one they were taken to the last time I had my men pick them up, for the sole purpose of having a place to conduct my less elegant business. I had this one equipped though: the cage, the leaking pipe with a valve I'd turn on when needed, the wires that hung from the ceiling touching the cage, conducting electricity with a click of a button; all of it served a single purpose. I made my own torture chamber. And I was putting it to full use now.

"You know", I sang, cutting the flow off, "The buzz isn't strong enough when it allows you to scream. Maybe we should crank it up."

"Just kill us and be done with it", Rose hissed and I grinned at her.

"I told you, you'll keep breathing because I don't really want to make an enemy out of Ibrahim Mazur. But, I will keep doing this until you decided you want me to stop. When you do, just say the word. If you can."

I let another, stronger wave shake them. I had to admit I was surprised by Rose's resistance. She was stubborn, but I haven't expected her to hold out this much. I focused on Belikov and added: "By the way, you were right. I ordered the hit on Ivan. You know why? He annoyed me. That's it. It's as simple as that."

As I let them catch their breaths, Belikov latched onto the bars despite the small, but still significant aftershocks coursing through them. He grinded his teeth and, after he managed to start speaking again, growled: "You son of a bitch, I'll—."

"You'll what?", I cut him off both by clicking my favorite button and speaking.

The crazy bastard clung to the bars with all his might through all of it, right until I stopped the current. Rose rolled onto her back, tears welling up in her eyes and cried: "S-stop."

"What was that Rosie?"

"Stop. Please. Enough."

"Oh, you want me to stop? I can do that. But then you'll have to kill him."

She pierced me with her gaze, but when I moved my finger up shrieked: "Wait!"

Belikov peered over his shoulder at her as she pushed herself onto her knees and then feet. She shakily moved closer to the bars, her expression slowly changing. That defiance in her eyes crumbled as she said in a broken voice: "I'll do it."

 **POV: Rose**

Jesse didn't believe me. Neither did Dimitri. Not at first at least. I knew that so I did the only thing I could think of to prove my intentions. I curled my hand, gathered all of my strength and punched Dimitri in the face. He was entirely and unsurprisingly unprepared for it so I managed to knock him down swiftly. Jesse, who had been eyeing me suspiciously, jumped up and whistled: "Damn."

I huffed and forced myself to kick Dimitri while he was still on the ground. All I wanted was to get out of here and erase the unimaginable pain my body was put through. To forget the feeling of every inch of me burning in agony while all my mind was filled with were helpless screams. I had a plan. But that plan fully and only hinged on my ability to deliver the best performance of my life. Doing that, making Dimitri think I was betraying him... it felt ten times worse than anything Jesse had done to us so far. Especially when he glanced at me with so much hurt in his eyes I could see his heart breaking and gasped my name.

"I'm sorry Comrade, but you're gonna die anyway. We might as well get it over with", I said though I felt like I was listening to someone else speak.

"That's the spirit", Jesse cheered, digging into his back pocket to pull out what I instantly recognized as my knife. He tossed it in front of my feet and warned: "I wouldn't throw it at me. I might not want to kill you, but I will if I have to."

As I ducked to pick up the knife I noticed Dimitri shuffling away from me while getting back on his feet. _You can do this,_ I repeated over and over again as I got a steady grip on the knife and turned to face him. It was ironic that Jesse chose the very weapon Dimitri had given me to end his life.

"Rose, don't", he warned as I moved towards him, taking a swing at his head.

My attempt was too sluggish. I knew that the second I launched it so I wasn't at all surprised when he managed to duck under it. He reeled back and tried to kick the knife out of my hand. He missed. Jesse's last sentence ran through my mind, words that could with a slight change be applied to Dimitri. _He won't hurt me. If I don't put him in a position where he has to, he won't hurt me_. So I allowed that animalistic cry lurking inside of me to claw up my throat and lunged forward.

I managed to land an uppercut Dimitri would probably be impressed with under different circumstances, making his teeth click. While he was distracted, I sliced through the front of his shirt and then swung again more slowly. I was relieved when he caught my hand before it made contact. He tried to pry the knife out of my grip while I fought to free myself from his grasp. I distantly heard Jesse say something, but I was too focused on trying to catch Dimitri's eyes to listen. As I moved to bring us face to face, my arm twisted because of his vice like grip and I heard my shoulder pop. I yelped and that made Dimitri let go.

 _Really Comrade_? _Now you chose to be worried about injuries,_ I screamed in my head, recalling all the times he pushed me to my absolute limits during sparring. He still wasn't looking me in the eyes so I decided to go for the nuclear option. I moved back and then hurled myself at him, tackling him down. We fell together, both of us losing our breath upon the impact. He softened the fall for me though, so I recovered first. I straddled him and lifted the knife above his head. I paused, not too long so I wouldn't raise red flags, but enough to allow him to stop me as I brought my hand down. The tip was awfully close to his face and my heartbeat went up even more.

"Stop", he growled before I got the bar of my forearm down across his windpipe and pressed.

 _Stop being on the fucking defence_ , I yelled at him wordlessly, hoping this would be one those time when he'd read my mind, but I was simply not that lucky. In a desperate attempt to free himself, he clawed at my arm and finally looked up. At first, I almost cheered, but then I really looked into his eyes and saw only anger, shock and disappointment. _No, no, no_ , I panicked, _please don't think I want this, don't think I mean it_. But my thoughts didn't resonate with him.

"Do it now", Jesse instructed and my stomach twisted at his excitement. He was enjoying this. This was fun for him.

 _Maybe I can't make him understand, but I'll make him play his part_ , I thought as I proceeded to flip the knife into my other hand, the trick Dimitri showed me, then cut the side of his neck. I moved back and peered at the wound, checking I didn't underestimate the damaged I'd done. Then I fixed my eyes on him again, finally seeing I'd succeeded in at least one thing. _I put him in the right position_. I gave him no other choice but to pull his legs up between us and kick me off him. The kick was so strong, it flung me across the cage and I slammed against the bars, tumbling down face first.

I pulled my head up, not trusting the rest of my body to be able to lift up straight away. The skin above my eyebrow was wet and at first I thought it was from the puddle I'd landed in. When I brushed my forehand over it though, I saw blood. I realized Dimitri got back up and knew he was about to start attacking. Jesse was obviously quick to come to the same conclusion. He sent another shockwave at us, effectively halting Dimitri's advance towards me. It only lasted a little while, but by the time it was over he tossed a gun at me and ordered: "Finish him."

I nodded and got up, aiming at Dimitri before he could take another step. He did what anyone in his situation would do. He froze. But I knew by the fire in those dark eyes of his, he wouldn't stay still for long. He was the definition of fighting until his last breath. And as he stared definitely up the barrel of my gun I pushed myself to speak, repeating a line he'd told me long ago: "I could shoot you right now and go have breakfast afterwards like nothing had happened. Could you do the same? That's what you asked me, remember? Well, once this is done, I'll get those blinis we talked about."

I took a risk. There was little to none chances Jesse would understand the hints I tried to give Dimitri, but he could've been alerted by my stalling. Luckily, all of his focus was directed at the man opposite of me and I could see him grin at him viciously out of the corner of my eye. Unlike him, Dimitri registered what I was doing and I watched as his eyes barely visibly widened and then gloss over. A breathless second passed and then I was certain he understood. Certain because his expression screamed surrender and all of his anger disappeared.

He fell to his knees with a painful cringe and fixed his eyes one me, letting them speak for him when his lips couldn't. I thought he was going to stay silent while I was gathering the courage to go through with it, but he didn't. To anyone else, his plea would sound like a cry for his life. I knew it was a cry for mine.

"You don't have to do this."

Tears gathered in my eyes and I heard each unsteady breath that filled my lungs. I aimed at his head, trying to keep my hands from shaking less than my voice as I said: "I really wish that was t-true."

He stayed unmoving, not even bothering to blink anymore. His eerie calmness clashed with sickening waves of giddiness radiating off Jesse. That contrast was disturbing. A tear rolled down my cheek as Jesse boosted: "Come on Rosie."

And then I found my mouth moving on its own accord to produce: "It's Rose."

Everything that followed ended in seconds even though it felt like slow motion. My aim aligned with grey-blue eyes and I saw them begin to fill with surprise, but I pulled the trigger before it could fully develop. I saw the bullet digging into Jesse's forehead, causing blood to squirt up into the air as his body surged down. Time returned to its normal speed when he hit the ground, but I was so numb I would've assumed it stopped altogether. My heart hammered against my chest so hard it hurt.

"Rose?", Dimitri prompted, though I could barely hear him as I blinked past the barrel and sucked in as much air as I could through my clenched teeth, "Rose?"

I couldn't force myself to turn to him, but I was certain he managed to get back on his feet and start moving towards me. He did it very slow, probably afraid to startle me while I was holding onto a loaded weapon. Finally, when he stopped a mere step away from me, something in me changed. I didn't know if I shook out of my paralysis on my own or if the wakeup call was caused by a single word that rolled off his lips: "Roza?"

"F-fuck", I gasped, dropping the gun.

He snatched it, tucking it away as I turned to him and repeated: "Fuck."

"Roza, it's okay. It's over."

"I-I killed him. Fuck, Dimitri, I killed him."

"It's okay", he repeated almost desperately, but we both knew it really wasn't.

My legs give out and I braced myself for the pain I'd feel once I hit the floor. As much as I was already hurting, I was convinced this last smack would be the worst one. The one that would finally break me. But I never made it all the way down. Dimitri scooped me up and hugged me, his lips pressing to my forehead right above the place where my skin had split open. His heartbeat was almost as eratic as mine and his hands shook when he lifted me. He moved to sit down, letting me curl in his lap. One of his hands sunk into my hair while the other cupped my cheek. He pulled my face to his and left tiny pecks all across it before kissing me on the lips. I cupped his neck feeling something wet under my fingers and realized it was blood from where I'd cut him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I hurt you", I sobbed against his lips, "I-I had to make it believable. Make him think I was going to—, I'm sorry."

"I know. I know. I should've figured it out sooner than I did. I'm sorry too. God, you have no idea how sorry I am. I thought—", he trailed off but I knew exactly what he thought. I saw it. I felt it. He truly thought I'd betrayed him. He hated me for it and I never wanted to feel that hatred from him again. Because I—.

"I love you", I whispered, realizing those three little words have been floating in my subconscious for quite some time now. They were impossible, they were too soon, they shouldn't be allowed to slip off my lips, _I_ shouldn't be allowed to feel that way. But I did.

I looked up at him: his beautiful eyes, gorgeous face, luscious lips parted in awe by my declaration. He took a sharp breath and was just about to speak when the door Jesse used to come and go banged open and people stormed in. It was hard to recognize them in the semi-darkness, but when one of them stepped forward, rifle swinging back on his shoulder, I knew who he was. I knew even before he ran up to the cage, caution be damned. I knew and as much as I hated his timing I was never this glad to see him.

Adrian Ivaskov came to the rescue.

 **POV: Sydney**

Minutes turned into hours. Hours turned into a minor eternity. And finally, I was seconds away from jumping out the window rather than being trapped and alone in this goddamn room a moment longer. I was positive I'd thinned out the carpet with my non-stop pacing and doubting my shirt's ability to absorb my sweat any more. I felt disgusting, so besides wanting to know what the hell was going on, I also wanted to take a shower, eat and freaking pee already since the redhead was refusing to let me out even for that. I had no idea how many times I fixed on the door and willed it open so it was kind of ironic that when it actually happened, I was too busy trying to rip the curtains down so I could use them as a rope to get into the garden below.

"Seriously? Was there a lesson in school about escaping captivity that I missed?, Ivashkov spoke up, making me whirl around, "Rose already tried that one."

"Did you even go to school?", I barked, but in my head I was rolling my eyes at my own words. _Really Sydney, that's your best comeback_?

"I was an A plus student actually", he smirked, his mood clearly improved since I last saw him.

I crossed my arms over my chest and cocked my eyebrow at him, saying: "Good for you. Then it won't be so hard to do the math and come to the conclusion that just because I told my friend I was fine, doesn't mean he'll never check on me."

"Well I'm hoping that you'll consider the danger you'll put him in by telling the truth when you do yours", he warned, but then gave me a wide smile and added, "Now that we got that out of the way, would you please follow me out of here?"

"Asking a question makes it sound like I have a choice."

"You do have a choice", he pointed out before heading out, "But, I'm pretty sure you'll choose to do what I want you to."

 _Cocky asshole_. I almost decided to pass the chance to get out of here for the sole purpose of spiteing him, but in the end I tucked tail and hurried out the door. His messy chestnut hair disappeared around the corner of the hall and I had to run to catch up. I had no idea where he was going and I didn't expect him to wait up so I more or less slammed into him when I turned that corner myself. His hand just like that day in the courthouse wrapped around mine to keep me upright. He had the audacity to laugh at my stunned expression and tease: "You're really a fan of close contact, aren't you?"

I didn't dignify him with a response. He made an odd face before tapping on the door we were standing next to. He waited a moment and then pushed it open. As he stepped in, someone spoke up in a faint voice: "Look who's learned manners. I'm impressed."

"My manners are stellar and you know it Little Renegade. How are those feet?"

"They hurt. A lot. But at least I got all of the junk out", Rose responded.

 _ROSE_? I pushed my way past Ivashkov and saw my best friend sprawled over a bed with her feet dangling from the edge. She was on her back, eyes closed with an ice pack placed right above one of them. She wore a dress that seemed as if it was meant to be a zombie costume: dirty, ripped and with a few blood stains. As much as her legs were bruised and scraped, it was nothing compared to what her feet looked like. The slashes on them ran so deep one would think she'd taken a long stroll over broken glass and then removed the shards with a hammer. I was shocked to see her in such a state almost as much as to see _her_. Ivashkov cleared his throat and announced: "I'm going to go get bandages and ointments and you stay there and enjoy the lovely company of our new guest."

Rose peeked through her lashes at us and then sprung up. Before she could put her feet down though, I rushed towards her and hugged her so tightly, I was sure I'd cut her airflow off. She didn't protest at first, but after a few moments she huffed: "Can't breathe."

I let go of her, slumping on the bed as she took my hands and squeezed them. In all the chaos, I didn't even have time to think about how it'd feel to actually see, hug and be next to her again. I was so happy I almost forgot we were under lock and key, surrounded by her kidnappers and their allies. Rose seemed exhausted, but excited at the same time. Only, after a couple of seconds, she too seemed to have realized the situation we were in and her forehead furrowed making the cut above her eyebrow pop.

"Syd, what are you doing here?"

"It's a long story", I breathed out, feeling exhaustion spread through me as well now that my adrenaline dialed down, "What happened to you?"

"It's a long story", she chuckled, wincing when her chest jumped from it.

"Tell me about it."

"I will. I'll tell you everything", she promised before shifting so she could place her head into my lap and lay back down, "Just let me continue dying a little first okay?"

"Sure", I said, letting her get comfortable, "I'm not going anywhere."

I had no idea how true my last words were.

* * *

 **Hey everyone! Soooo, this chapter was written in like a few hours, but my insecure ass spent days editing it so now I can't tell if it's crappy or awesome! Y'all will have to decided that for me! A lot things happened and the cliffy that's been driving you nuts has finally been resolved so yay! Anyhow, I'll keep this short and just wish you all a great weekend! As always, feedback is much appreciated!**

 **Question of the week: What's your favorite ice-cream flavour? Mine is vanila which is such a contrast to my personality tbh XD Anyhow, there you go, sometimes I'm hella basic XD**

 **XOXO T!**

 **Songs: Killing Strangers - Marilyn Manson, Kill for You - Skylar Grey**


	39. CH39 - Consequences

**POV: Adrian**

It was three in the morning. Three in the fucking morning and someone decided, God bless their poor soul, it was a good idea to wake me up. I had half a mind to shoot them through the door without even getting out of my bed, but since I was in Tati's home I forced myself to behave. Besides I was getting tired of patching people up all the time. I came close to kissing the floor because my legs were so tangled in the sheets I couldn't get rid of them until I was already halfway to the door. I curse under my breath and nearly ripped the knob off when I pulled it. In front of me was a palish and wide awake Rose, hugging a pillow to her chest.

"I can't sleep", she said in a monotone voice while I rubbed my eyes and huffed.

"So you thought you should deny me that very bliss?", I grumbled, watching her shift her weight from one foot to the other and then give me a puppy-eyed look.

"You can go back to sleep. I just... I don't take up too much space."

"I'm sorry, have you met you? You sleep like a seastar", I protested, but stepped aside to let her in anyway.

"Thanks", she mumbled, thumping off towards my bed.

I rolled my eyes and kicked the door shut. I collected the sheets I'd left scattered all over the floor and threw them along with myself onto the bed. I heard a small sigh escape Rose while she tried to get comfortable. I punched my pillow until it was back to the way I like it and settled in next to her, groaning when I saw she had, in her usual fashion, taken most of the sheets for herself. After a brief battle we managed to split them almost equally. We quieted down, but just as my eyes closed, she prompted: "Is this where we'll live now?"

"I thought you said I could go back to sleep."

"It's one and simple question Adrian."

"It's one and complicated answer Rose", I huffed, shifting my legs carefully so I wouldn't accidently hit her wounded feet.

"Fine, you don't have to be so bitchy about it."

"Why are you in my bed and not Dimitri's again?", I asked and felt her stiffen at my words. _Odd_. I glanced at her, but the darkness we were in made it difficult to make out her expression. _Oh now she chose to shut up_ , I thought before my ever so present curiosity got the better of me and I added: "Did I miss something?"

"You mean besides us being tortured and nearly dying", she scoffed, but flipped over to face me when she gave me the real answer, "I told him I love him."

"Oh", I exclaimed, abandoning the idea of going back to sleep any time soon.

"He didn't say it back."

"Oh", I muttered, almost adding _ouch_ as well.

"I mean, he didn't really have a chance to do it because you swooped in to save the day, but still... I-I think I freaked him out."

"Oh."

"Will you fucking stop saying _oh_? I need an actual sentence, judgement, advice, comment, _something_."

"I don't know what to tell you Rose. I'm not really an expert on the L word."

"Says the guy who told me that exact word two days ago", she exclaimed and I could literally feel her glaring at me.

"Yeah, but that was different. You're like a little sister I never had. Disturbingly hot sister with whom I had a slightly incesty moment by this analogy, but still... I told you I love you in a totally unromantic sense of it. Being _in love_ and telling your lover that you are is on another level. A level I'm unfamiliar with."

"You wanna tell me you've never been in love?"

 _I have_. _Her name is Avery and she tore my heart out_. _She was the final drop in a filled up glass of hatred between my cousin and me_. _She left me for him because of his promises and lies. She left me because she didn't think I was good enough. She broke me. And we had plenty of chances to tell each other those three little, but very significant words. In the end, that only made things worse._

"Nope."

"Liar", Rose sneered, but let my response slide, "So yeah, I'm not in his bed and I don't know if I'll ever be."

"Don't be so dramatic. I'm sure you're blowing this way out of proportions."

"Well, you know him, what do you think he's feeling?"

"Do I look like a sickick? I have no clue Rose. Why don't you just ask him?"

"Ask him?!", she exclaimed, loud enough to wake the entire house, "Yeah that's a great idea Adrian. Hey, Dimitri, I know I just got you to stop pushing me away and be with me and I know you thought I was going to kill you a few hours ago, but I'd really like to know if you're going to run for the hills now that you know I'm a sicko who's fallen in love with you after less than four months of knowing you and like two weeks of dating you. Oh, also, you said you don't think you're capable of love, but could you love me back anyway?"

"He said that?"

"Yes, but that's so not the point."

"Okay, okay, ugh... I don't know what to tell you. What did Sage say about this? I'm sure she's more qualified than me in the matter."

"I didn't tell her", she cried, burying her face into her pillow.

"Why?"

"Well, first off, I had to fill her in on everything she's missed and second, she's just broken off her engagement so I don't really want to drop my drama on her."

 _Her fiance must be an idiot to let a woman like her go_ , I thought, but instead of commenting I tried to offer a solution to Rose. Or at least the closest thing to it.

"Maybe you should try to sleep it off and deal with it tomorrow."

"Yeah that'd be great if I didn't see myself murdering someone every time I shut my eyes", she scoffed, but her voice trembled while she spoke.

I wasn't sorry to see Zeklos bite the dust, but I still felt unsettled by how much it had shaken Rose. She was a mess when we found them. At first, I thought it was because she was tortured, but I quickly connected the dots when Dimitri told me to get rid of the prints on the gun. When he came to work for me we'd wiped all traces he had every existed from every single database on the planet. He became a ghost both because it made his job easier and because it protected him from all of his enemies. So, he wouldn't have been too concerned about the prints if they were only his. Rose's, on the other hand, were a problem. If the weapon used to kill Zeklos ended up in the wrong hands she'd be in a lot of trouble. Not that his or mine primary concern was the law enforcement though. He didn't have to say anything for me to know that he, just like me, couldn't stop thinking about how this would affect Rose psychologically.

I still remembered how it felt to take someone's life for the first time and it was something I was certain I'd never forget. The guilt, the shame, the reruns of that moment stuck in a loop inside your head whether you were awake or asleep, the mark it leaves on your soul and that feeling of coldness and emptiness. And then you change, forever. I knew exactly how Rose felt, but I couldn't do anything to fix it or make it better. I could only stand by her side and help her through it.

"C'mere", I mumbled, welcoming her into my embrace.

She melted against me, burying her face in the crook of my neck with a sigh. As she latched onto my shirt I hugged her tighter, kissing the top of her head. It was not the kind of intimacy she wanted and I was not the person she wanted it with, but when her body relaxed in my arms, I knew this would at least bring her a bit of comfort for the time being. And I was more than happy to give her that.

 **POV: Dimitri**

Tatiana had chosen a peaceful place to build her home. The chirps of birds along with the occasional buzz of the lawnmower some other early riser was diligently putting to use were the only noise I could hear. With the traffic so far away, the air was cleaner and fresher. This particular spot in her garden allowed you to see both the sunset and the sunrise in their full glory. It was heaven on earth. Only it was a serenity I couldn't enjoy. My mind was too focused on troubling thoughts, answerless questions and confusing emotions to let the ubiquitous calmness sink in. And no matter how many deep breaths I took I couldn't slow the galloping of my restless heart.

 _I love you_.

I took a large gulp of my coffee. Torrie made it the second she saw me thumping down the stairs. It was strong, the kind of strong one would need when waking a good two hours before everyone else. Well, everyone except for her. I wondered if the woman ever slept. The fact that she was always there when needed proved she was as irreplaceable as Tatiana claimed. She was an energetic, hardworking, loyal and kind person which made her rare. And she was understanding. When I came downstairs and headed for the garden, she stayed out of my way. She gave me as much space as I needed and I knew she was well aware of the fact that the good morning I'd bidded her was nothing more than mannerism. My morning in any way wasn't good and didn't feel like morning to begin with. Not when I had no sleep at all through the night.

 _I love you._

I flexed my hands, still feeling a slight tingling in my fingers. Adrian insisted on both Rose and me seeing a doctor and though I indulge him, only for the sake of having him rest easy, I knew right from the jump it wouldn't change much. Cuts and burns would heal, bruises would fade and the effects of electric shocks were going to take a little bit of time to fully recover from. The thing that weighed on me the most, the crucial consequence of our captivity, wasn't a wound. It was an unsolvable dilemma. Questions I kept asking myself over and over again. Was it a spur of the moment thing? Was it guilt? Did she mean it?

 _I love you._

I ran my fingers over my neck. Whenever I closed my eyes, all I could see were flashes of what had happened in that wretched cage. The focus of every thought, every moment that still seemed so vivid in my mind was Rose. The bandage that I felt under my hand made me think of her knife slicing through my skin, but the picture would be replaced by her beautiful face with that wandering lock and the whispered nickname she'd given me. Then I'd feel her arm wrapped around me, cuddling me to her, but that arm was soon be pressed against my throat, making me gasp for air. Her aiming a gun at me and then mentioning the very breakfast that was a part of my make-believe proposal. Finally her sobs and apologies followed by those three words. _I love you_.

"Fancy running into you here", Tasha said, making my eyes snap open.

"Hi", I replied weakly which forced a broad smile off her face and a frown onto it. I wasn't exactly trying too hard to hide my sour mood, but I had a feeling she would've easily sniffed it out no matter what I said or did. She knew me well.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah that won't work", she chuckled dryly, taking a seat opposite of me, "Spill it."

"How's Christian?", I asked, trying to avoid or at the very least postpone giving her an answer.

"He's good. Snoring like an animal, but I've missed him so I'm not complaining too much", she responded before folding her arms on the table and giving me a stern look, "Now, if you're done failing to distract me—.

"Tasha, I don't think you're the right person to talk to about this."

"Dimitri Andreyevich Belikov you take that back", she exclaimed, giving me an appalled glare, "I'm your oldest friend alive and there is absolutely _nothing_ you can't share with me. You hear me? I told you a long time ago I'll be there for the good and the bad alike so stop with all of that and tell me what the problem is."

I sighed and found an interesting spot to stare at in my cup as I replied: "Rose told me she loves me."

"And that's a problem?"

"No. It's just... I don't know Natasha, I'm not sure if she meant it like that."

"How else would she mean it?"

"She went through a lot... there was guilt and not much time to think her words through. I don't know... it doesn't make sense that she—", I muttered, but trailed off once I realized _I_ wasn't making any sense.

Still, Tasha made this odd face that made me think she might have understood. I wasn't sure how since I didn't even understand myself. After a few seconds, she let out an exasperated breath and said: "I see. So you're set on finding ridiculous excuses instead of facing what's literally making you lose sleep over? That's very _you_ , Dimka."

I huffed out a short laugh while she shook her head and smiled. Tasha had a way of making you face the truth whether you wanted to or not.

"Sadly, Rosemarie doesn't know that, which is why you're making an ass out of yourself right now."

"Excuse me?"

"Tell me something and be honest, is this really about what she said?"

"What else would it be about?", I asked almost angrily.

"Perhaps it's about that _no one can love me_ motto you've drilled into your own head. And DON'T—", she nearly yelled when I attempted to interrupt, "Try to deny it. You and I both that's your go to excuse whenever you're faced with any proof that says otherwise."

"What proof?"

"Where do I start?", she huffed, tucking her hair behind her ear, "Alright, I'll go with the obvious one first. We're friends, we'll always be that, but why do you think I kept letting you back into my bed? I mean the sex was mind-blowing and all, but I could've found someone who'd stay for more than ten minutes."

"I don't know."

"Of course you don't", she sighed, shaking her head, "Because you simply can't wrap your head around the fact that I love you. And, though I'd be lying if I said I didn't from time to time think about how it'd feel to really be with you, I knew your heart was never in it."

I felt like I should protest, but I didn't know what to say. She was right, but also, I didn't want her to think I didn't care about her. I didn't want her to feel used. It was never my intention. But before I could find the right words, she added: "It took time, but I realized mine wasn't either. It wasn't a romantic kind, but it was love nonetheless. You needed me to be there. You needed me when your sorrow and guilt became too hard to bare alone. So, I was there. To talk to you, to have sex with you, to do whatever it took to help. Because that's what you do for those you love."

"Natasha—."

"I'm not done", she cut me off, quirking her eyebrow, "Adrian. That man would rather take a bullet than let someone become his weakness. Still he cares for you so deeply he'd set the whole world on fire if you wished it. Hell, he handed over his precious casino to Ion of all people for you. Yes, I know about that too. The point is, he was willing to give up something he'd built from scratch, something he was so proud of, _for you_. If that's not love, I don't know what is."

"So all of this is supposed to convince me that Rose—."

"No, all of this is supposed to convince you that you can and are loved. Actually you're maddeningly easy to love. As for Rose, well, I don't know her so I won't presume to know how she feels, but she did kill a man to save your life. She had a choice, an easier way out, and many would've taken the opportunity without a second thought if they were in her shoes, but she fought for you. I don't see why she'd do that if not because she meant what she said."

Tasha had a point. She bombarded me until my head was spinning and when she sensed that some of the things she'd said were getting through to me, she added: "But this, _all_ of this, is not what's really bothering you. You're not blind. Maybe a little thickheaded, but you can see for yourself that the real issue isn't what she feels. It's what you feel. So, Dimitri, do _you_ love Rose?"

 **POV: Rose**

People said breakfast was the most important meal. I chose to ignore that and so for the better part of my life, mine consisted of disgusting combos of whatever I had in my fridge and cereale. Or, if I was lucky, some bagel I totally forgot I had lying around for like three days. Lack of funds and plain laziness were to blame. If I'd known what I was missing I would've started a piggy bank to hire a _Torrie_ of my own. This woman really knew her cooking.

"Are you gonna eat that?", I asked Sydney who'd been staring at her bacon and eggs like they were going to jump out of her plate and attack her.

"No, but are you sure you should?"

"Why?", I prompted, digging my fork into her meal.

"It could be poisoned or full of drugs", she hissed and I nearly choked my bite.

"Relax Syd. No one here wants to kill you. If they did, you'd be dead already", I said, raising my voice when I added, "Right Adrian?"

"Mhm", he hummed from behind his newspaper, but it seemed like his response was automatic. I could barely see his face, but the little glimpses of his eyes that I'd caught showed he was so focused on whatever he was reading he'd probably forgotten he wasn't alone.

"Where did you disappear?", Sydney asked under her breath and when I quirked my eyebrow at her added, "I woke up around four and you weren't there. If your pillow wasn't missing too I would've panicked more."

Syd was no stranger to my _Iʼve decided to invade your space in an ungodly hour_ moments and the missing pillow was always a good sign to those who were safe from that intrusion. Still, I was surprised she didn't go around knocking on all of the doors she came across until she found me. I should've thought of what she'd think when she woke up with me nowhere in sight, but I was too busy having an actual breakdown to be that rational.

"I went to talk to Adrian", I replied, deciding to avoid telling her what I'd talked to him about. I meant what I'd said to him. Syd was already going through a lot. The last thing she needed was more of my drama.

"In the middle of the night?"

I shrugged and watched her as she glanced at Adrian who had lowered the paper to take a sip of his coffee. Her eyes widened as she gasped: "He's the _bodyguard_ you told me about?"

"Huh?"

"The hot bodyguard you banged? The one you said you were falling for? Adrian is him, right?"

"What? No, no, no. Dimitri. The hot bodyguard is Dimitri."

"Oh."

"Wait, you think Adrian is hot?", I asked, seeing her blush so intensely I thought she'd faint.

"I, um, I guess. He—, I think he is a fairly good looking man."

"Who are we talking about?", Adrian suddenly prompted, making me realize he was probably listening to the entire conversation after all.

"W-what?", Syd stammered and I quickly decided to swoop in and rescue her. It was really not fair to throw her to the lion on the opposite end of the table.

"Me."

"You're a man now Little Renegade?"

"Well, I certainly got more balls than most."

"That you do", he chuckled, folding and putting down the paper before directing his attention at Syd who unlike me lacked about three plus months of training in _guess where Adrian's thoughts are going next_ , "Have you ever been to Vegas?"

"Excuse me?"

"Vegas? Have you been there?"

"Um, no."

"What about L.A.?"

"No."

"Splendid, we're going", he said matter-of-factly and I shook my head when she opened her mouth to protest. She was going to have to learn it was easier to just go along with his plans and not wreck your brain trying to figure out where they came from. However, she clearly didn't intend to learn that today.

"I can't just up and leave my life. I have responsibilities, a job and on top of that I'm not really into taking road trips with criminals."

" _Entrepreneurs_ ", Adrian corrected and I couldn't help but laugh because of how much this moment reminded me of the fights we had in the beginning. Syd gave me a pissed off glance as Adrian continued: "Unfortunately, Ms. Sage, you'll be taking that road trip whether you like it or not. It's for your own safety."

"Well, Mr. Ivashkov, Rose might've accepted your _protection_ , but I'm not really interested in doing the same—."

"Easy Syd", I cut in, but Adrian wouldn't let me finish trying to calm her. I took out his gun, putting it right next to his plate and fixing his eyes on her in the _I'm not messing around_ manner.

"What makes you think I'm giving you a choice?"

"Cut it out Adrian", I exclaimed as Sydney stiffened, "She'll go, no need to get all threatening, okay?"

"I don't make threats", he scoffed, returning to his meal, "I give warning."

"Whatever", I huffed as door behind him opened and Dimitri walked in.

I haven't seen him since we were rescued and, with everything that happened, I truly didn't know what to expect. I was guessing he'd go back to avoiding me or perhaps pretending like all was normal. I hoped he wouldn't shut me out, but I'd braced myself for that. However, as soon as he walked in, his eyes scanned the room until they met mine. There was a determined look on his face and I had no idea whether that should freak me out or make me relax. I couldn't read his eyes or expression, but he didn't leave me wondering for long because he strolled up to me and mumbled: "A word?"

"Um, sure", I blurted, practically jumping to my feet.

He didn't address anyone else and I noticed Adrian eyeing him curiously while I tried to catch up to him. When I reached the door he disappeared through, I gave Adrian and Sydney a quick warning: "You two behave. No warnings, fights, gun waving and definitely NO killing each other. Got it?"

Syd sighed and nodded, but Adrian's expression remained blank until I glared at him and added: "I was mostly talking to you Crazy Pants."

His brow quirked at my choice of nickname, but after a short pause he rolled his eyes and put his gun back in his holster. I gave Syd an encouraging smile before rushing after Dimitri. He'd left the door to the garden open as an invitation and I wasted no time stepping out. When I finally found him, he was deep in the maze we strolled through the last time we were here. He slowed down when he heard, or perhaps sensed me approach, but didn't even look at me as we fell into step. That was _not_ a good sign. I took a couple of calming breaths before pushing out: "Looks like I'm way better at hide and seek than you expected, Comrade. I bet you thought I'd get lost and all of your problems would be solved, huh?"

"No."

 _Oh joy. The monosyllabic responses were back in play_. The grin I forced quickly slipped off my face and I felt my nerves knotting up. I had no idea where he was going, but I followed him in silence until the uneasiness I'd been feeling turned into panic and I began uncontrollably puking words out: "Look I know I did and said a lot of things yesterday that... took you by surprise, but you know my brain to mouth filter breaks down when I'm stressed and I told you I only hurt you for the purpose of tricking Jesse. And I'm not going to say I didn't mean what I said 'cause it'd be a lie, but if you want to go ahead and pretend like it didn't happen that's fine by me so—."

He came to a stop so abruptly I had double back. I was breathless from rambling while keeping pace with the mute giant, but set on finishing my monologue. Not a single word had time to leave my mouth though because as I faced Dimitri, his hands shot up. For a moment I was convinced he was going to choke me, but his fingers found their way into my hair instead and though his pressure on my neck was a bit rougher, he only cupped it. His lips crashed against mine violently and I gasped at the impact. He used that opportunity to run his tongue over them and the gasp turned into a moan. A wave of dizziness washed over me, but Dimitri's body pushed mine until I ended up pressed against the hedge behind me. Having short branches poking you in the ass in the middle of a searing kiss wasn't ideal, but even the oddest kisses with Dimitri were perfect. So perfect, in fact, I nearly forgot my own name, let alone the torturous thoughts that kept me up half of the night. And, when he pulled away, I found myself reluctant to open my eyes and let go of that blissful oblivion.

"Roza", he whispered and I sighed before meeting his dark eyes.

"Don't leave me", I pleaded before I could stop the words from coming out.

"I won't."

"I don't mean just now."

"I know", he said, unblinkingly holding my gaze while he pressed our foreheads together, "I'll never leave you. I love you. More than I thought possible."

My heartbeat soared and I felt my legs go wobbly. I could feel my lips rounding in a silent _o_ and I probably would've wondered if I'd heard him correctly if after a few breathless moments he didn't repeat: "I love you Roza."

"Fair warning, my legs are about to give out", I blurted out which caused one of those beautiful, wide smiles of his that were so hard to elicit to appear.

"I got you", he chuckled, wrapping me in his strong and warm embrace.

"You always do."

"And I always will."

"I love you Dimitri", I managed to say before his lips were back on mine.

I had no clue how long we stood there kissing and repeating those three words. I was perfectly happy to stay like that forever, but we couldn't. At times, it was so easy to forget Dimitri was almost always on duty when he was awake. I haven't witnessed Adrian getting on his case about taking breaks, but since we were in a bit of a crisis, I figured he didn't want to test his tolerance. And even if he didn't have a job to get back to, I knew I should avoid leaving Sydney alone too long. I remembered how freaked out I was before I got used to Dimitri and Adrian. She was in for a hell of a ride.

"Are you okay?", Dimitri asked while we made our way back to the house, hand in hand.

"Mhm. Just thinking about what happens now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we don't have a home or allies or a plan."

"It's not the first time that happened", he huffed, plucking a small leaf out of my hair and smiling, "Adrian and I dealt with it before, we'll do it again."

"With my help. We are a team you know."

"Yes, we are."

"And Syd? Is there a way to leave her out of this? I don't want her to get hurt."

"Do you think she'll let you out of her sight after everything?", he prompted and I knew what both of us would say next almost immediately.

"No way in hell."

"Than I'd say she's a part of the team now too."

"Oh, fun. Adrian and her are gonna be at each other's throats all the time."

"Like we were", Dimitri chuckled, winking at me as I grinned.

"I don't think them fucking their differences out is an option. Syd is too rational and well behaved for that."

"That's what I used to say about myself", he shrugged, tugging me closer to him so we could pass through the door without letting go of each other. That was too cute to be real, but it still was. I guess impossible was sometimes not so absolute and unreachable. If Dimitri and I could get to the point where we were an actual couple, maybe Sydney and Adrian could at least become friends. I'd like that. It would make my life a lot easier since I cared about both of them and didn't want to ever have to choose one over the other.

"Soooo, are you like my boyfriend now?", I asked once I remembered we didn't agree we were a couple at any point, today or back when we decided we weren't just friends.

He looked at me while I wiggled my eyebrows and smiled, cupping my cheek as he said: "I'm yours. What you call me is irrelevant."

"You sure about that _Comrade_?"

"I've never been more sure of anything."

"And I'm yours, but if you start calling me Babe or Honey, I'll kill you."

"Copy that."

"And, Dimitri?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

 **Hey guys! How's everyone doing? I know y'all had various expectations when it comes to this chapter and though I stuck to doing my own thing, the way I planned it way back when I made an outline for this story, I hope none of you were disappointed! This chapter was more or less all about friendship and love I guess! As promised, I didn't make Tasha a crazy, jealous bitch and I didn't let Dimitri go for full denial mode for too long! XD The following 2-3 chapters will be a bit slow-paced and fluffy so strap in for that cause after that's over I'm not giving y'all a minute of breathing time hahaah XD As always, I'm eagerly waiting for feedback (reviews are crack XD)! Have a nice weekend!**

 **Question of the week: Which celebrity would you rate as a perfect 10? (I'm stealing this question from google thank you very much XD)! Jensen Ackles will forever be a perfect 10 for me in every freaking category! That man redefines the word perfection!**

 **Songs: Gangsta - Kehlani, Him & I - G-Eazy**

 **P.S. I totally forgot to include this in the last AN cause I was rushing to get the chapter out, but the idea of Jesse's torture was actually inspired by a Supernatural fic that I'd read a while back! The whole cage and electricity thing was fascinatingly brutal and I thought it was well suited for someone like Jesse! I have to give credit where credit is due so if anyone of you is interested in that fic it's called What the Mind Forgets by Revhead!**


	40. CH40 - The Other Life

**POV: Rose**

Spending a week in Vegas was definitely a good way to forget everyone was out to get you. It was a little touch-and-go at the beginning, but we all got on board at some point and that surprisingly included Sydney. She rarely left my side at first, but after a while she began to ease up. Adrian and her bickered all of the time, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Actually, it was kind of hilarious. Dimitri and I started a drinking game one night, downing a shot every time they got into a roasting match. We got drunk pretty fast. Afterwards we nearly broke the bed. I woke up with a bitch of a headache and had to apologize to Syd who spent the night on the couch countless times, but it was beyond worth it.

"All packed?", Dimitri asked, his arms wrapping around my waist as he ducked to rest his chin on my shoulder.

"Mhm", I hummed, zipping up my suitcase.

"Are you okay?"

I shrugged and tried to step out of his embrace, but he only tightened his hold on me until I had no other option but to twirl around and face him. He was, without a doubt, the most handsome man I'd laid my eyes on and this little _vacation_ we took helped make him even more irresistible. His eyes were warmer and lighter, he smiled a lot and he was as close to happy and relaxed as possible which was a hell of a good look on him. I never thought I'd see the day, but Dimitri was off duty since we left Philly. I had no idea if he was coerced into it by Adrian or if a near death experience was enough to finally get him to take a break. Either way, I was pleased with the result. More than pleased. After so much lost time, it was nice to have Dimitri all to myself without interruptions of duty calling or people shooting at us. It was amazing to see him laughing and having fun. It was easy to ignore the rest of the world and sink into this feeling of carelessness. But now it was all over.

"Fine", I mumbled as he brushed his lips over mine.

"Roza."

"I'm fine. I just... I don't want to go. I like it here. It's... safe."

"We'll be safe in L.A. as well. Safer even. The paperwork for the casino is done. As of tomorrow, Adrian won't own it anymore and we can't count on protection from anyone who's about to start working for Ion. He—."

"Can't be trusted. I know. I learned that the hard way, remember?"

He gave me a small smile and brushed my hair back, carefully tucking it behind my ear. I sighed as he nudged my head up and fixed his eyes on mine.

"You'll like California and Adrian's house there is beautiful."

"But you'll be working again", I whined, burying my face in his chest.

"A little bit. But I'll still be free most of the time. And, look at me", he said, as I tipped my head up and peered at him through my lashes, "My room has this soft and enormous bed that you'll love."

"Okay, you got my attention."

"I knew the bed thing would win you over", he laughed.

"Well it's either that or food."

"Oh, the food in the nearby restaurants is amazing. And they do home deliveries for Adrian."

"Mmm, yes, I love it when you talk dirty to me. Keep going Comrade."

"Please don't _Comrade_ ", Adrian voiced behind us, making us both peer towards the door he leaned against.

"Is it time already?", Dimitri asked and I frowned.

"Yep, let's go."

"Our flight is in five hours", I protested, but Dimitri shook his head.

"We have some other business to attend to before that."

"Work thing?"

"We won't be long", Dimitri reassured instead of answering.

I pouted to which he shook his head and leaned in for another kiss. I melted into it and could almost ignore Adrian's annoyed call for Dimitri to get a move on. I sighed as his lips left mine and nearly told Adrian to fuck off when he warned: "Dimitri, if you'd like to keep your job—."

"Sure", Dimitri said, looking at me with a mischievous grin, "I'm almost done."

And then he was back to kissing me.

After they left, I plopped down on the couch and flipped through the menu even though I already knew what I'd order. Room service never made it past the front door because there was always someone posted there to keep us safe. Today was McCall's turn. He rolled the trolley with the food in and bid me a good morning, sticking around for a short chat. He was about to leave when Syd finally made it out of the shower. She blushed when she saw him, tightening the towel wrapped around her and he, to my surprise, actually checked her out. I lifted my eyebrow questioningly to which he shrugged and gave me a quick wink before leaving us with a big fat grin on his face. I shook my head and chuckled before going after Syd who dashed into our room in the meantime. I found her rummaging through my suitcase.

"Um, that's mine."

"I know. I need to borrow something."

"Adrian got you clothes", I pointed out, settling on the edge of the bed while she glanced at me and frowed.

"Have you seen what he bought?"

"No?", I prompted, mostly 'cause I couldn't remember if he showed me or not.

She abandoned her search to pick up her bag and dump it next to me. She waved at it and waited for me to open it and start pulling her clothes out. I had to choke back a laugh since the first piece I spread out in front of me was a dress so short, even I couldn't wear it without feeling slutty in it. It only got worse from there. I stopped when I reached a red, glittery top and looked at Syd who was so furious I was sure steam was going to come shooting out of her ears any minute now.

"Okay, so these aren't your style, but there are some wearable things here."

"I'm sorry, you did see the leopard print pants, right?"

"Yeah, but I bet your ass would look great in them", I cracked up, earning a slap on my arm.

"This is not funny. He is an asshole. A criminal and an asshole."

"He grows on you", I mumbled, cramming the clothes back into her bag.

"How? He doesn't have a single redeeming quality."

"Oh come on. He can take some jokes too far", I said with one last glance at her bag, "And yeah, he is a criminal, but apparently so is ninety percent of people in my life. And I'll admit, he can be an asshole sometimes, but he has a lot of more than redeeming qualities."

"Like what?", she exclaimed while shimming into my jeans, "Give me one good example of what makes him a decent man."

"He donates to charities."

"To make up for all the people heʼs shamed, robbed, beaten or killed?"

"Syd!"

"What? Guilty conscious is not equal to altruism."

"Fine. He takes care of me."

"He kind of loses his bargaining chip if you die."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

She paused and fixed her eyes on me with a frown dancing on her forehead then asked: "What _are_ you talking about?"

"Feeding me and keeping me alive are the only things he actually has to do. But, if you pull your head out of your perky little ass for a minute, you'll notice all of the little and big gestures along the way. From day one he went out of his way to make my life easier, to make me as happy as I could be under the circumstances. I didn't see it at first either, but I know it now."

"Alright, sure, doing nice things for people you consider friends can qualify you as someone who's not _all bad_."

"But we weren't friends", I mumbled as she sat next to me.

"Huh?"

"We weren't friends. Not when he spent twenty minutes calming me down when I found out the truth about my parents, not when he taught me and made Dimitri teach me how to protect myself or let me call you for the first time. He was kind to me even when he didn't have to be. He could've thrown me in his basement", I said, remembering how he actually joked about it, "And barely kept me alive. Instead, I had a bed, clothes, toiletries and as many meals as I wanted. I escaped and, aside from being pissed for like five minutes, he still treated me the same."

I huffed and sprawled over the bed, looking up at the ceiling as I added: "He did a lot of good things and in my book they more than make up for the bad. And he was there for me when I needed a friend. He helped me pull through, helped me become stronger. Maybe if you gave him a shot to show you what he's like, you would see what I see."

"Maybe", she finally said, lying down beside me.

We were quiet for a few moments and then she nudged me with her shoulder. As soon as I turned my head to look at her, she offered me a small smile and asked: "You want to go make our bellies ache from all the food you ordered?"

"You didn't even see what or how much I ordered."

"I didn't have to. I know you, remember?"

"You do", I said with a grin.

"And I love you."

"I love you too."

We pushed ourselves up, but before I could make it to the living room she called out to me: "Don't be sad."

"Huh?"

"I can tell you're sad were leaving. Don't be. When all of this is over, we'll take as many trips to Vegas as you want. And who knows, maybe I'll learn to tolerate Adrian enough to let him join us."

"Wow, really?"

"Probably not", she laughed and then sneezed for the fifth time this morning.

"Bless you. Allergies?"

"I guess."

 **POV: Sydney**

It wasn't allergies. That much was obvious by the time we got to the airport. My throat began closing up and all the sneezing made my nose runny. If my life was one thing lately, it was a magnet for bad luck. Volunteering to be kidnapped was already peachy, but catching a cold while being hauled around the country was just _fantastic_. And with Rose being in the missing persons database, we couldn't just stroll in and board a plane. We had to take a private jet which meant going out straight onto the runway. Naturally, it had to be a windy day.

I was in the middle of silently cursing the weather and wondering how much did Ivashkov have to pay someone or multiple someones to skip the passport check, shaking like a leaf, when something warm touched my back. I jumped, glancing over my shoulder and was met with what almost seemed like an apologetic grin. I fixed on emerald green eyes as their owner proceeded to slip their jacket over my shoulders and say: "It's a bit chilly today, huh?"

"Which would be fine if I'd packed a jacket. Oh wait... I didn't get to pack at all since you wouldn't let me go get my clothes before you forced me out of town", I snapped as I tried to wiggle away from him.

"Alright, alright, I get it! You're pissed you had to spend a week in a luxurious hotel drinking mai tais and getting foot massages", he snarked, fighting to keep his jacket on me, "You'll get over it. What you won't get over is a pneumonia."

"Pneumonia isn't exactly incurable", I mumbled, but gave up on trying to shrug the jacket off since my trembling increased with each step, "And I didn't get any massages."

"You should have. Maybe then you wouldn't be so annoyingly stiff."

The pun he made wasn't lost on me, but before I could come up with a response, another sneeze worked its way through my nose, making my head snap forward. My eyes watered and I pawed at them angrily as he held his hand out in front of me. I realized he was offering me a tissue and hated to admit how considerate he was right now. _Damn it_ , I thought while shooting daggers at the back of Rose's head. All that talk about Ivashkov being a nice man was messing with me. Still I took the tissue and muttered a quick thank you. He shot me a lopsided smile and shrugged before prolonging his steps.

It wasn't until we were seated and ready for take-off that I noticed an unfamiliar scent following me around. I was surprised I could sense anything with my nose so stuffy, but it was there every time I made even the slightest movement. It was when Rose teased me about how cute I looked in my new jacket that I realized it was the collar that the scent was radiating off. It was rich and masculine. I could even smell the hints of wood and leather in it mixed with something sweet I had trouble placing. It was a heady smell and I hated to admit I was reluctant to part with it.

Just as I flung his jacket off me Ivashkov appeared with a blanket and dumped it into my lap. I heard him instructing the stewardess to bring me tea as soon as we were up in the air while Rose gave me a curious look and asked: "You okay?"

"I think I'm coming down with something."

"Shit."

"Don't worry", Kit McCall butted in from behind me, "We'll do a pharmacy run as soon as we arrive."

"I'm fin—", I tried reassuring, but my body betrayed me with another sneeze so I finished with: "It's not a big deal."

"You should try to get some sleep", Ivashkov said as he took his seat.

I didn't respond and I wasn't going to listen, but the tea made me sleepy and the couch in the back was comfy so by the time we landed I was comatose for thirty minutes already. The ride to Ivashkov's house wasn't long and I honestly looked forward to reaching it and dosing up on every medicine known to mankind. As I got out of the car however, the harsh wind that seemed to have followed us from Vegas shook me awake. I distantly heard Rose commenting on how amazing the house looked and when I followed her gaze to it I could do nothing but agree.

Even if you put aside the size of the two-storey mansion, its design was modern, flawless and impressive. The front of it was a bit more obscured with solid walls that were a mix of dark grey panelling and pristine white concrete, but lightened by rows of discrete, silvery LEDs tucked under the flat roof. Once we made it to the backyard, I saw that the other side almost entirely consisted of black framed, floor to ceiling windows. The location advantage was used to its fullest, so most of the rooms had an unobstructed ocean view. And though the ocean wasn't all that inviting in this crispy weather, the large and dimly illuminated pool that had steam rolling over it in as the cold air kissed the heated water, made me wish I wasn't feeling too crappy to jump in.

"My swimsuit is definitely gonna get some use this weekend", Rose exclaimed while we slipped around the pool and entered through the door leading into the living room.

I let my eyes wander to the high-ceiling and over the banister of the stairs at the back of the room which was why I almost barreled through Kit who appeared in front of me and handed me meds he'd clearly picked up while we were aparat. I smiled at him gratefully before following Rose as she excitedly ran up the stairs.

"I love this place", she cried out, peeking through every door she came across, "Which room is—?"

"Last one on the left", Ivashkov voiced and as I peered over my shoulder at him, beckoned me in the opposite direction.

I rocked on my heels for a moment and then reluctantly followed him. I realized he was holding two bags and recognized one as mine. Before I could say a thing about it, he elbowed his way into one of the rooms and lingered on the doorway. Once I joined him and peered inside he asked: "Does this suit your needs?"

It was a large room with a queen size bed smacked in the middle of it. The plush carpet underneath it looked almost as soft as the countless pillows stacked up on top of it. I wasn't wrong about the bedrooms having an absolutely breathtaking view, this one not being an exception. Ivashkov walked in and placed my bag by the bed without waiting for my response. Once he turned and saw me studying the other door in the room he offered: "En-suite."

"Huh", was the only thing I could come up with.

"Get comfy Princess, dinner is at eight."

He marched out, but before he was fully out the door I found myself blurting: "I don't know why you're doing this."

"Doing what?", he asked, twirling around.

"This", I huffed, waving my arms at everything and nothing in particular, "Rose is your bargaining chip or weapon or whatever, but me... you have no use of me. So that whole _I want to keep you safe_ steaming pile of garbage you've sold Rose on isn't all that convincing to me."

"You doubt my sincerity, Ms. Sage?", he prompted with a smirk.

"I doubt everything that comes out of your mouth, _Mr. Ivashkov_."

"Adrian is fine."

"Sydney is fine too."

"Well, _Sydney_ ", he said, emphasizing my name almost annoyingly, "I know getting to know someone takes time, but since we don't have a lot of it to spare I'll save you the trouble and clue you in on a little secret. I don't make lying a habit."

"Fine. Say you're not lying. Why would you want to protect someone you don't know or care about?"

"Because I can."

"I beg your pardon."

"I'm protecting you because I can. Happy?"

"No", I exclaimed, shaking my head, "No. What does that even mean?"

"It means—", he started, but something flickered in his eyes and his expression hardened after which he ended with what I was sure wasn't the first thing on his mind, "It means you need to keep that attitude in check and lay off me a bit."

"I—."

"Sage", he cut in with a warning expression, "I've been playing nice. You don't want me changing my tune. _Trust me_."

I slammed my mouth shut and just stared at him. He studied me for a couple of moments almost like he was daring me to continue arguing, but when I didn't he only added: "Get some more rest. I'm sure you could use it."

With that he left, closing the door behind him.

 **POV: Dimitri**

I sunk my hand into her hair and softly scratched her head. A happy purr tore its way from her lips, but she didn't make any attempts to move. I hovered over her carefully so I wouldn't put too much of my weight on her, planting kisses on the back of her neck and the soft skin of her shoulders. She stirred, then lazily rolled over until she could face me. Our lips found their way to each other effortlessly.

I thought that once I knew I could kiss Rose whenever I wanted, once loving her wasn't something I had to deny and we didn't have to hide anymore, being with her would become different. Would feel different. Maybe less maddening or less exhilarating at least. It didn't. It was the same. Perhaps even more intense.

"Is it just me or are you up to something?", she mumbled sleepily.

"I'm always up to something", I softly laughed, sliding between her legs as soon as she parted them.

She purred again and wrapped her limbs around me sluggish, nuzzling her nose against mine. I breathed her in and smiled. She made me happier than I'd ever been. She was perfect. She was mine and I'd rather die than ever let her go. As I buried my face in the crook of her neck, her arm tightened around me.

"I love you."

"I love you too", she whispered into my ear.

We were lost in kisses and caresses for a while before she prompted: "Wanna go sully another pool?"

"Dinner first", I laughed, forcing myself to leave the comfort and warmth of her body in order to get up.

"We ordering in?"

"Probably. I don't think Sydney will be up for going anywhere."

"Fuck", she exclaimed, abruptly sitting up, "I didn't check on Sydney. God, I'm such a shitty best friend."

"No, you're not. You needed some rest too. I'm sure she's fine."

"You should probably check on Adrian too. I'm pretty sure she's plotting to kill him."

I laughed and glanced at her while she pulled her clothes on and said: "Not that I'm underestimating Sydney, but after surviving you, I'm certain he's more than learned how to handle his captives."

"Ha, true. Very true."

Someone knocked on the door and once I shouted permission, McCall stuck his head in and said: "The food is here. Thought you'd want to know."

"Thanks Kit. I'll let Syd know", Rose said as she headed towards the door.

"Oh, she knows", he announced with an odd expression, "She's downstairs."

Rose gave me a look that was a mix of curiosity and alarm before we followed Kit. We were halfway down when I heard Adrian's muffled voice booming from the dining room. I couldn't make out what he was saying at first, but he sounded angry. It wasn't until we joined him that I realized he was just annoyed. Perhaps _just_ wasn't the right word though. It was a specific kind of annoyed. Specific for him that is. I've only seen him act like that a handful of times and it was always with people he liked or cared about. Everything from his expression to tone said _you're driving me nuts_ , but I knew the secret, slightly masochistic part hidden in that spark in his eyes and the subtle twitch of his lips that meant _but I'm actually enjoying it_. The interesting part was that the only one he could be talking to was Sydney since they were alone when we came in.

"I'm just trying to help", she protested as Adrian waved her away.

"For crying out loud woman, stop spreading germs all over the food. Sit down."

"But—."

"Sit! I promise, I won't poison your food if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm not", she muttered under her breath, but took a seat.

"How are you feeling?", Rose asked her, rounding the table to reach Sydney and touch her forehead. She reminded me of my mama. That worried frown, but still reassuring smile, torn between comforting her children and panicking over them being sick. It made me smile. I didn't follow the rest of Rose's inspections since Adrian called me over to help unpack the food he'd ordered.

McCall assisted and joined us for dinner too. Sydney wouldn't let Rose sit near her, arguing that she didn't want to make her sick as well. However, McCall was deaf to the same protests once he picked the chair closest to her. Rose mumbled, barely audibly, something about what men wouldn't do to get lucky. Nobody but me heard her and I made a mental note to ask her what she meant by that later. It wasn't until I noticed how hard he was trying to engage her in conversation that I realized I wouldn't have to ask. McCall was discreet when it came to business, but that didn't apply to women. If he liked them, he let them know and that was the contrast between him and me Adrian loved pointing out.

Sydney blushed. A lot. She was more reserved than her best friend, but still the same open-book type of a person when it came to her emotions. It was obvious she was equal parts embarrassed and flattered by McCall's advances. It was also clear she was flustered every time Adrian so much as opened his mouth. I didn't know her, but somehow I could tell being thrown off balance stirred her more or perhaps even excited her more than being charmed. Or maybe I was projecting.

"We should leave the pool for tomorrow", Rose spoke up at some point, making me turn my focus to her, "I don't want to leave Syd alone."

The woman in question somehow heard her despite the loud discussion McCall and Adrian were having and said: "Don't worry about me. I'll read a book or—, you do have some books around here, right?"

Adrian was mid-sentence when she addressed him, but still answered her before finishing with McCall: "No, but I'm more fun than any book you could find."

I knew for a fact he not only had books, but that an entire room in the west wing was turned into a library. He didn't have a lot of time to read, but he appreciated books. They were art. _Painting pictures with words_. He was an artist. Or at least he would've been if he wasn't forced into this life. I couldn't tell if he denied he had them to spite Sydney or if he had other reasons, but I shot him a look that he pointendly ignored.

After dinner Sydney tried convincing Rose to go have fun, but I didnʼt think she stood a chance until Adrian meddled in and announced: "Iʼll keep her company. Go."

"I don't need your company", Sydney protested, but her attempt was weak since she was visibly torn between reassuring her friend and avoiding Adrian.

"Even so, you still got it."

"It's fine, we'll—", Rose started, but Adrian pulled his shirt up until his gun was visible and interrupted.

"Don't make me force you."

Sydney seemed alarmed, but Rose knew better than to see any truth in Adrian's threat. Still, she decided on a compromise and said: "We won't be long."

We took a short stroll down the shore, deciding to wait for better weather to use the pool. The wind dialed down so the waves calmly sunk into the sand, making little noise. Everything was quiet, even Rose. We walked hand in hand gazing at the clear night sky. Every once in a while Rose would look at me and smile and, each time it happened, I'd stop to kiss her. I found myself thinking about staying here, to hell with the rest of the world. I knew it wasn't an option, but I wished I could give Rose back the peace we'd taken from her when we dragged her into our war. I wish I could erase everything she'd endured because of it. I'd give her the world if I could. But I was only a man. A bad man.

"Pebble for your thoughts", Rose chuckled, handing me the little odd rock she'd picked up along the way.

"I'm not sure you want to hear them", I replied, but still pocketed the pebble.

"Oh, boy! I sense soldier Dimitri coming into the spotlight", she teased, twirling around to face me.

"It's just plain Dimitri."

"Well, plain Dimitri, shoot."

"I never really told you why I was fighting against being with you so hard."

"You're kidding, right?", she laughed dryly, "You gave me a million reasons."

"Most of them weren't true."

"You lied", she gasped, touching her chest with her palm theatrically.

"I'm serious Roza."

"Okay, okay, sorry. Go on."

I huffed and glanced over her head, watching the waves flop over one another in the darkness. I felt my mouth moving before I decided to let it, finally letting the thoughts that had been lurking inside of my head for far too long come out.

"You... you came into my life and surprised me. You came and brought this light with you and I... I was afraid. Afraid I'd snuff that light out. Afraid that I'd wind up pulling you into the darkness with me."

She waited until my eyes found hers before asking: "And then you stopped... being afraid I mean?"

"No. But I've learned that your light is stronger than my darkness. And our love is stronger than our fears."

Her lips tugged into a small smile while she tip-toed her way to my lips. Before kissing me, she whispered: "I can't believe I fell for a poet."

"I can't believe I fell for a sap."

"Hey", she exclaimed, playfully punching me, "Not cool."

I laughed and pulled her even closer, wrapping my arms around her as tightly as I could without hurting her. After a few searing kisses and breathless _I love yous_ we made our way back to the house. Rose was more talkative, making jokes that chased away nearly all heavy thoughts still lingering in my head. Once we were almost at the door she placed a bet on how nasty of a massacre we were going to find inside. If I took her up on it, she would've lost sorely. Admittedly, I thought we'd at the very least walk into a room rippling with tension, but instead Adrian was watching TV and Sydney was sleeping. She'd surely unconsciously shifted since I could hardly see her willingly placing her foot in Adrian's lap.

"You guys heading up?", he whispered and I nodded in response.

"Okay", Adrian mumbled, turning the TV off and carefully shifting away from Sydney.

Rose stepped forward, probably with the intention of waking her up and making her go to bed, but before she could Adrian crouched and picked her up. Whether she was a heavy sleeper or knocked out cold by meds, she didn't so much as stir. Adrian moved towards the stairs slowly while Rose leaned towards me and said: "I see it now."

"Huh?"

"They _are_ kind of like three plus months ago us. We loved to hate and hated to love each other. Think they'll end up where we have?"

"Yeah", I breathed out, having an odd flash of deja vu while watching him carry her to bed, "Yeah, I think they might."

* * *

 **Hey everyone! I am BACK! Hopefully I'm here to stay too! Thanks so much for all of your support and patience, it meant the world to me! I really do hope this chapter was worth the wait! I promised some fluff and smut chapters so strap in for two more of those after this! Of course, I can't just keep it all light and happy cause... well, I me hahaha XD Still, there'll be lot of cuteness and some steamy scenes so you have something to look forward to!**

 **Also, over 500 reviews! WOW GUYS! THANKS so much! Y'all rock!**

 **Anyhow, as always, feedback is much appreciated so send some if you've got the time! Lots of love to all of you! Have a smashing weekend!**

 **Question of the week: What's the nicest interaction you've had with a stranger this week? For me it's basically the nicest and cutest moment of the past month since it was with a baby boy! I was in a bus and he randomly reached out and grabbed my finger! He wouldn't let go and he made happy noises once I smiled at him and said hi! His parents kept apologizing, but I was real close to saying "can I take him home?" XD You've gotta freaking love kids!**

 **Songs: Feel About You (Acoustic) - Aislin Evans, Give In To Me - Three Days Grace**


	41. CH41 - Safe Haven

**POV: Adrian**

Her lips burned where they touched my neck, but I welcomed the flame. Fingers tracing patterns on my chest felt like whispers rolling over my skin, calming and soft, such a contrast to those wicked kisses. I sunk my hand into her hair and tug after tug brought her closer until our lips met. Those whispers inched toward my stomach, turning into screams. Nails scratched, teeth bit and pulled, but the pain was the tune I knew and relished. A moan tore away from her lips turning into a groan on mine. Our bodies were pressed together so hard we were all but one. It was a delicious, delirious mess of limbs and hearts beating against our chest like they were itching to escape and go hand in hand to a place where they never had to part.

Her legs tightened around me, trembling as I ran my hands over them, my palms cupping her hips like a missing piece of a puzzle falling into place. She began to pull away and I followed her like a magnet, refusing to let the distance between our bodies become anything but non-existent. Her fingers sunk into my hair and brushed it back, flexing when they reached the back of my head, pulling at those short strands there every time my teeth scraped over the soft skin of her neck. A broken whimper rolled off her lips when I sucked on her pulse point, her fingers digging into my shoulders.

She gasped my name and I froze. It sounded different. It sounded unfamiliar. As if it wasn't my name at all. I opened my eyes and found hers, only to realize that color that I expected to be grey was instead amber. It was the wrong color, but it was the most beautiful one I've seen. Like a raging fire. Like the sun itself. Like molten gold.

Eyes that belong to—.

I jerked awake so harshly I nearly fell out of my bed. A sharp breath whizzed in and out of my lungs as I ran my hand through my damp hair. My heart slammed hard against my ribcage and I absentmindedly pressed my palm to my chest like that might calm it. My skin was sticky, so I wiped my hand against the covers as I tossed them away. I threw my legs over the edge of the bed and that was when I registered how constricting my boxers felt. I groaned and pushed myself up.

I was having wet dreams about freaking Sydney Sage of all people. _Great._

I enjoyed getting some action even if it was just in my head. Not today. Iʼd jerk off in the shower, but this morning I only angry rubbed at my skin like it was its fault my brain decided to go all weird on me. But, no matter how much I tried to cast those golden eyes out of my mind, the image of them filled with lust simply wouldnʼt go away. That's the reason I ended up doing everything from fixing up my bed until it was hotel-like neat to thoroughly cleaning every gun I had laying around only to postpone leaving my room. When I ran out of things to do, I took a steadying breath and headed downstairs.

The house was so quiet I thought everyone had up and disappeared while I slept. In that silence my thoughts sounded too loud. Or maybe it was their context that made them sound like my mind was shouting at me. _What's wrong with you_? _It's a stupid fucking dream_! _Man up and stop stalling_! But, as my pace quickened, a weak afterthought floated through my brain: _It's more if you're still thinking of it now_ , _isn't it_? I shook my head and almost ran outside, coming dangerously close to falling into the pool.

"Morning", Dimitri spoke up from behind me, making my heart skip.

"Fuck", I gasped, jerking around to find him lounging on the daybed tucked into the corner of the patio, "What in the hell are you doing there?"

In response he lifted a book from his lap and frowned as he scanned my face.

"You look spooked. Nightmares?"

I felt a nearly hysterical chuckle working its way up my throat as I replied: "You could say that. Where are the ladies?"

"Shopping", he supplied, tucking that ridiculous _fell asleep here_ bookmark he got from Natasha for Christmas between the pages he was on before shutting the book and putting it away, "McCall took them. I figured you'd want me to stay to go over our plans."

"Right. Plans", I mumbled as he stood up and eyed me worriedly.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. Yeah. Let's get to work."

He didn't seem entirely convinced, but he let it go. Two coffees, about a million calls and one broken pen later, I was sitting on the living room floor, looking for my charger in the midst of the mess we'd made while Dimitri rambled without a break in his mother tongued. He did however wave to get my attention before he pointed towards half rolled up maps left of me. I dug my hand in-between them, feeling the cord of the charger beneath my fingers. I mouthed thanks to him as I pulled it out and stretched to plug it into the nearest socket.

I was certain the ink stain on my pants was never coming off and starting to feel my circulation weakening from the tightness of my sleeves that were pushed too high up my arms, but neither of those things bugged me as much as the piercing headache I couldn't shake even with painkillers. I tentatively rubbed my temples with the knuckles of my index fingers, but just as I expected that didn't help. As Dimitri finished his call, I leaned back against the bottom of the sofa and sighed in exhaustion. I closed my eyes for a few moments and, before I had a chance to open them, felt something cold touching my forehead.

"You're hot", Dimitri's voice came from above me, making me realize it was his hand that felt so cooling against my skin.

"Thanks. You don't look that bad yourself, Cos."

"That's not funny", he grumbled while I peeked through my lashes at him, "You must be coming down with something too. You should—."

"There are plenty of things I should and shouldn't do", I interrupted as I swatted his hand away and straightened up, "But what I _need_ to do is keep working."

"Adrian, you're sick."

I was about to make a pun, but he was way ahead of me, giving me a sharp glare and warning: "Don't even think about it."

So instead, I ended up saying: "I don't have time to be sick. So... back to work."

"A—."

"Back to work Dimitri."

He seemed pissed, but he still sat down and huffed: "Dyatlov said he'll take care of the loading docks as long as we get the cops off his ass."

"We're still lining Chief inspector's pockets, right?"

"Yes."

"Good. And Wilket is keeping Jones and his men busy up at the Badlands."

"And the rest? Without the Italians and Ibrahim, we are running thin on allies."

"Nonsense. We still have those Irish gangs down south and more of your fellow countrymen in the west."

"And Victor?", he asked the ultimate question though we knew neither of us had found the answer in over three years now.

"Yeah, I still have no fucking clue which rock he's hidding under", I sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at the maps.

"We'll find him."

"Nice to know you're still an optimist", I laughed dryly, fixing on the laptop that lit up when the files I'd been downloading finally finished.

"I'm not an optimist. I've simply been proven wrong."

"Yeah?"

"I never thought anyone would find you", he said, getting back up, "And now... well, we'd be homeless if not for this place."

"I'm sorry. You do remember I have a house in Rome, a cottage in the Alps, one cute little apartment in Moscow and oh, a duplex in San Francisco?"

"You know what I mean", he said a second before a high-pitched shriek erupted from behind me.

"Are you kidding me!? You seriously have all those places!?"

"Which part of _I'm rich_ didn't register with you Rose?", I scoffed, glancing over my shoulder at her.

She stood by the doorway, arms packed with a scary amount of bags. She hauled them to sofa, dropping them on it with a huff before sliding her sunglasses as far up as her wild hair allowed it. She snatched my credit card out of her pocket and grinned while saying: "Then you won't mind I maxed this out, right? I did, after all, buy all of us something."

"I'm pretty sure even you couldn't max out any of my cards in one day."

"All of us?", Dimitri prompted, making her jump up in excitement and pick up a few bags.

"Yeah. You'll love it, trust me."

"Did you trade your friend for any of those?", I asked once I realized a certain golden-eyed blonde was missing.

"Oh, she's... outside. I'm sure she'll, um, come in soon."

There was something in the way she responded that made me get up and head to the yard. I wasn't even thinking about it. Actually, I was thinking about it, but as much as I told myself to stop freaking moving I still ended up outside. I ran into McCall almost as soon as I stepped out. For a moment, I thought his was simply standing around staring at the horizon, but then I noticed a small figure down on the beach. He peered at me and supplied: "She wanted a moment. I was keeping an eye on her, though."

"That's fine. You can go now."

"It's okay, I—."

"McCall", I cut in a bit more harshly than I wanted to, "You can go."

He gave me a surprised and slightly annoyed look, but nodded and went away. It wasn't until I'd heard him and Dimitri talking that I moved again. I slowly made my way to the shore, watching Sage's figure get a little bit bigger as I got closer. Her back was turned to me, but I could tell she knew I was coming by the slight, perhaps even automatic, stiffening of her shoulders. She wore a fuzzy, oversized and unshockingly neutral colored sweater that clearly offered enough warmth to keep her teeth from clattering cause of the harsh wind. I wasn't shielded so well. And though the wind wasn't really that cold, it was its steadiness combined with my weakened body that had me hugging myself to stop my trembling. However, that wasn't the only reason I made myself smaller. For the first time in my life, I was actually trying not to seem intimidating. It was an effort that mightʼve been the reason she decided to speak despite not bothering to look at me.

"I wasn't going to attempt to run away or anything."

"I didn't think you were."

We were quiet for a few moments, both of us staring at the waves as they surged up and flopped over the ones that made their climb towards the sky before them. It was calming — the simplicity of nature keeping its course and rhythm despite the chaos around it trying to stop it or change it. I breathed in the salty air and as it clung to my lungs, closed my eyes to focus on it. Whenever I went back home after spending time here I'd find myself trying to recall the smell of the ocean or the feeling of sand beneath my feet and each time I thought: _maybe I'll just quit, move to the beach, forget the world_. It never happened, but I was nothing if not a dreamer.

Sage was holding her hands in front of her and, when something flickered in them, it drew my attention. It was a ring with a little shiny diamond on top. She played with it, twirling it between her fingers, but never putting it on any of them. With a small sigh and a deep frown, she mumbled: "I didn't get a chance to return it. I was going to, but after... I simply forgot. He's probably thinking I'm ditching his calls so I won't have to."

She let out a humorless laugh and shook her head, pocketing the ring. I watched, wordlessly, as she crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to look up. There wasn't much to see in the sky, just grey clouds blocking the sun. Still, she kept her eyes glued to the slightly lighter cloud above us while adding: "I mean, who in their right mind would think of kidnapping before shameful behaviour?"

"I was going to say me, but that would imply I'm not in my right mind so—."

She actually chuckled at that and finally glanced at me when I continued: "I'm... I'm sorry about your engagement falling apart."

"Don't be. It's one of the rare things that's not your fault", she teased, letting her arms drop next to her body.

"Well, that's comforting", I laughed, ducking to pick up a pebble and toss it into the ocean.

"Consider it me paying you back for the clothes your money purchased."

"Which ones?"

Her eyebrow quirked and I smiled, fixing my eyes on our feet as I added: "Sorry about that too. It wasn't my best prank, but you've gotta admit I deserved a little payback for the suit incident."

The first three days she refused to take any of the clothes we'd bought for her or Rose. She kept walking around in the same stuff she wore when she was caught, annoying the living shit out of everyone. After a heated argument, I threw all the things I'd given her through a window and said I didn't give a shit if she walked around the places dirty and smelling like a dead rat. Naturally, she took showers, so she smelled just fine, but I was too pissed to be accurate. Then, on the fourth day, she spilled a glass of juice onto my suit. She claimed it was an accident, but mumbling _now we can both walk around dirty_ didn't help prove her statement. I decided to get back at her for that by buying the most eccentric clothes possible, once Rose convinced her to back off. It was childish of me.

"I told you it was—", she started, but after I cocked my eyebrow only said: "I'm sorry for that."

"You're forgiven."

A few more silent moments passed between us before I cleared my throat and as she met my eyes again said: "I know you don't believe it, and I don't expect you to, but I'm not your enemy."

"You're not really my anything", she blurted out, blushing almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

"Ouch", I exclaimed, jabbing my chest with my fist right above my heart.

"That came out wrong", she mumbled, the blush only increasing.

"Gee, you think?", I chuckled before I did my best to correct my expression into a more serious one that was required for what I was about to say.

"I could be though", I added, making her eyes widen slightly, either because she was surprised by my words or because she understood them wrong, so I quickly continued, "I could be your friend. You just need to let me try."

She seemed to be mulling my words over before she ended up asking: "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to be my _friend_?", she prompted, her voice twisting oddly as she neared the end of her sentence.

 _Why indeed_? I've spent my whole life trying to avoid making friends. Or at least that's what I liked telling myself. Allies, associates, aqunitenses — those were fine. But friends... they meant caring. Caring often led to love. And love... in my experience, always ended in heartbreak. I'd lost too many people to count and if that wasn't enough, I'd made the mistake of constantly letting more in. I was not supposed to create more weak spots, but I did. Kit. Mia. Dimitri. Then Rose. So, it was beyond foolish of me to willingly attempt to add another name to the list I begged myself not to make in the first place.

"It's a whole lot easier than the alternative, I guess", I responded, but all I could think was: _it's a whole lot more dangerous too_.

She nodded and then twirled on her heels, heading towards the house. I watched her go, displeased that she'd decided to end our conversation so abruptly but not making attempts to stop her. And just as I was about to start walking myself, she came to a stop and peered over her shoulder. There was a conflicted look on her face and when she spoke I knew what caused it.

"I'll think about it."

"Okay."

"Okay", she confirmed and then carried on.

 **POV: Mia**

Zamora was home to me. I loved these glum dirty walls. That flickering light in the toilet I always forgot to have fixed. The stale scent of cigarettes and alcohol. The blue smudges of chalk all around the pool tables. I loved each imperfection because to me, that's what made the place special. And, what I loved more than anything, was that I always felt safe when I was here. Sure, I'd seen and stopped a fair share of brawls in the place, but it was essentially Switzerland. No wars or bloodshed. It was where even the worst of enemies maintained peace. And Lord knew the stools in here had, at some point, been occupied by almost every mafia leader in this part of the country. Some more than others.

I opened my locker to grab my jacket and glanced at the photo stuck in the door. It was taken a few years ago and I almost threw it away a couple of times. I wasn't sentimental, but there was something about it that always stopped my hand from uncurling over a trash can. For the first time, I was a bit glad I kept it. _Some more than others_. I fixed my eyes on the smiling face of one of my regular customers. The only guy who never considered himself above a place like this. I remembered when he first set foot in here. His devil may care smiles. Flirtatious smirks. Deep green eyes that always seemed like they had a secret to tell. It was back when he was a prince. But now he was a king. And his kingdom was left in ruins. Or at least a part of it was.

"Red looked good on me", I mumbled to myself as I glanced at the younger, red haired version of me.

"And that shirt is fugly, Ivashkov", I added with a grin, before putting the photo back and slamming the locker shut.

I flicked the lights in the backroom off and headed out, trying to remember if I'd closed the bathroom window as I made my way towards the bar. I looked up and saw a woman standing at the entrance. She looked familiar, but I couldn't recall if she'd been here before or if I knew her from somewhere else. She was hot. Jet black hair and jade green eyes. A bit too slim for my taste, but still looking good enough to wind up on some girly magazine's front page.

"We're closed", I voiced, but knew I could be persuaded to make an exception if she asked.

"Oh, I know", she said in a slightly high-pitched, but melodic voice.

I thought she was going to say more, but she only batted her eyelashes at me. As she took a step forward, her heel making a soft click on the floor, I said: "Well, I was about to head out—."

"Or you could stay. We can have a drink. Talk. Get to know each other."

I'd usually get annoyed when people interrupted me, but now I smiled and said: "Interesting proposal."

"I knew you'd be up for it", she giggled, looking a bit like a little girl when she twirled a strand of her long hair around her index finger.

"Did you now?"

"Yes. Just like I knew youʼd be here."

I frowed and was about to ask her what she meant when the bar's door opened. I took a step back when two men walked in and when she glanced at them, my suspicions about her knowing them were more than confirmed. I looked at the bar and started calculating how fast Iʼd need to move to reach my shotgun before any of them had a chance to produce weapons of their own as she sang: "Mia Rinaldi. Iʼd say youʼre a hard woman to find, but honestly, this is the first place I looked."

"Have we met?", I asked, returning to my previous thoughts about where I had a chance to see her before.

"Once. A long time ago. I donʼt blame you for not remembering. You were kind of busy fucking Adrian Ivashkov."

What in the hell was she _—?_ And then it hit me.

 _I pushed him as hard as I could, both of us falling through the door. I had one of my hands wrenched tight around the front of his shirt while the other impatiently clawed at his belt buckle. He held my head in a way that wouldn't let our lips an inch apart even when we tripped over our feet in the dark. As soon as I unzipped and unbuckled his pants, I felt his hands slipping from my hair and sliding down my body. He picked me up effortlessly, my legs going around his waist as I clung to his shoulders. He spun us around and took a few steps forward pinning me to the lockers._

" _Damn", I gasped while he bit his way down my neck, "Never pegged you for a rough lover."_

" _I can be whichever kind you prefer", he muttered against my skin._

 _The slight slur of his voice was the only thing that reminded me of how drunk he was. I didn't really blame him. I'd be drunk too if my girlfriend dumped me and hooked up with my cousin two days later. But her loss was my gain. Only I had a barely audible voice at the back of my head warning me about how this could be wrong that kept getting louder despite my own tipsy brain trying to shush it._

" _Hey, Ivashkov", I voiced as I heard that familiar ripping sound of foil._

" _Hm?", was his only response as he was still busy devouring my cleavage with those damn irresistible lips of his._

" _Not that I'm complaining, but are you one hundred about this?"_

 _My eyes managed to adjust to the dark in the meantime so when he looked up, I could see his clearly. They seemed different: still beautiful, but a bit dimmer. His expression turned slightly more serious and he asked: "Are you?"_

" _Sure. Just don't get any ideas about us going steady after it."_

" _Wouldn't dream of it", he chuckled and then hoisted me further up._

 _I'd thought about what it'd be like to fuck him. My ponderings ranged from 'he's probably and expert' to 'he's all talk no bite'. But, when he thrust into me and a moan immediately erupted from my body, I finally knew the answer._

 _As frantic as we were up to that point, he took his time letting me adjust to him. His movements became measured and gentler, so I found myself growling: "I'm not a porcelain doll Ivashkov. Move."_

 _He did. Everything after that was a hot, sticky, dizzying mess. And I loved every second of it. Somewhere in the middle of it I heard a squeak followed by a streak of light spilling into the room. Whoever barged in pushed out a quick 'sorry, not the bathroom', but I didn't give two shits about them really. I only, for some odd reason, took notice of the girl's black hair flicking around the door as she fled._

"Youʼre the one who got the wrong door", I mumbled, scanning her dark hair.

"Natalie. Dashkov. Nice to actually meet you."

 _Well fuck_ , I thought as I slid backwards just a bit more. Adrian told me about her one time. He had plenty to say and most of it ended with _'she's a raging lunatic'_ or something more colorful than that. If she was here looking for me, I was in trouble. Big trouble.

"Well, Sis, you need to learn to knock."

She let out a small, eerie laugh and moved forward. Her goons followed her and I inched towards the bar which seemed to amuse her. She tilted her head, tracing the path I was planning on crossing with her eyes before she said: "That shotgun you keep under the bar won't do you much good. Besides, there's really no need for violence. I just want to ask you some questions and then I'll be on my merry way."

"What kind of questions?"

"The kind that would give me a certain gentleman's whereabouts of course."

"Yeah? Well than you wasted your time. I don't know or care where Ivashkov is and even if I did, I certainly wouldn't tell you."

"Why not?", she questioned, pouting, "I don't want to harm him. I want to have a chat with him, that's all."

"Save that for someone with less brain cells than me Sweetheart."

"Ha", she exclaimed with a grin, "I like you. We could be fast friends... or more. I always had a thing for blondes."

"Not that I donʼt swing that way, but youʼre really not my type", I shoot, feeling panic rise within me once I realized they were slowly backing me into a corner I had no chances fighting my way out of with my shotgun getting farther from my reach, "I like crazy, but you're nine kinds of too much."

The door behind me was supposed to be locked. Our storage was always locked. I was the only one with the key and I put it to use only when I needed to restock the bar. I haven't filled the shelves I emptied today. But it flew open and I fell in ass first. I didn't even have time to register what was going on before something slammed into the back of my head and everything went black.

 **POV: Rose**

"I'll have another one", I said as Dimitri heaved himself out of the pool.

"Are you sure?", he chuckled, but picked up my glass as he passed by.

"You only live once, right?", I voiced, shrugging to myself.

I propped my arms on the tiles behind me and sighed happily. Even the chilly air sliding over my skin didn't bother me much anymore. I guess the cocktails were starting to kick in. I wiggled my legs and peered up at Sydney who was lying on one of the sunbeds, angling the book Dimitri gave her towards the light so she'd see its content properly. I chuckled at her focused frown and rolled my eyes. She was still a bit sick so I figured it was smart of her not to jump into the pool, but I thought she'd at least interact with us. She'd been moody all day though, so I let her be. It wasn't like we were leaving this place any time soon. She'd have more chances to have fun. _Well, my kind of fun that is_.

"Mmmm" I hummed as warm hands slid over my shoulders and began rubbing.

I leaned my head back and caught sight of a familiar smirk. It wasn't the smirk I was expecting. I jerked away and heard him laugh. I turned around and splashed water at him, saying: "Jerk."

"Bitch", he shot back, shielding himself from my attack with a blanket that was draped over him.

"Feeling any better?", I asked as he plopped down, crossing his legs and pulling the blanket a little tighter around himself.

"Yeah. Now I just need to figure out how many tissues I am going to go through before I start breathing properly again."

"Well, if Syd is any indication... quite a lot", I laughed, folding my arms next to his legs.

He glanced over my head, his eyes narrowing a bit before he mumbled: "What's her deal?"

"She's a big fan of books", I shrugged when his eyes fixed on mine again.

"No, I mean like in general."

"Why the sudden interest?", I teased casually, but the face he made only piqued my interest, "Wait, are you interested in her?"

"No", he snapped, but I could swear I saw his cheeks almost invisibly blush.

"You are, aren't you?"

"Rose, don't be ridiculous. I'm just trying to figure out how to make peace with her. We're going to have to spend substantial time together and it'd be easier for all of us if we were on friendly terms."

"Rightttt", I drawled, but backed down when his eyes flashed in warning, "Fine. Let's say that's really your motive. If you're asking me whether you'll be able to dazzle her with money and large houses then no, that's not her deal. She's more of a good deads, nice gestures, emotional connection kind of gal."

"So you're basically saying I'm doomed?", he prompted, making me crack up.

"Nah, come on. You're way better at all of that than you give yourself credit."

"Okay, time to get out of that pool, you're brain is melting."

"I'm serious", I persisted, nudging his leg with my fist, "I've seen what you can do when you put your mind to it. Maybe open up a little, show her what's inside your heart or whatever."

"I'm going to puke", he sneered just as Dimitri returned with our drinks.

"Do you want me to take you inside?", he asked in alarm.

"He meant it figuratively. He's fine", I reassured before adding to Adrian, "Your honesty — that's what won me over. Maybe start with that. We're friends, right? So you must've done something right with that logic in mind."

"Or something very wrong" he muttered which earned him a slap, "Alright, I'll leave you to it."

He got up and walked back inside, Dimitri following him with his eyes while he asked: "What was that about?"

"I'm a mafia kingpin's Yoda", I chuckled, making him frown, "Never mind. Get your ass in here."

"Yes ma'am.

* * *

 **Surprise, surprise! I'm still here! I've been working real hard to get this chapter out on time because... TOMORROW MAFIA WARS TURNS ONE! I can't believe it's already been a freaking year since I started this story! Just like I can't believe I'm officially 10 chapters away from finishing it! But, before I can get all teary-eyed about the ending, I'm gonna have an emotional moment now about something else so bare with me!**

 **I'd like to let y'all know that I'm officially dedicating this entire story to one special little person! I mean the little part quite literally since the person in question is a precious and beautiful baby boy! And though he's a long way from reading this (no seriously, I'm raising his age limit to at least mid-twenties before he gets a look at his) I wanted to let him know that despite what his mom says, I know he's been rooting for me to keep on writing and being my most adorable "fan" even before he arrived to this world! Peanut, you're mom is an angel (disguised as a mermaid ;)) and I know you're going to grow up to be just as amazing and wonderful as her! I love you both!**

 ***ugly but happy sobbing***

 **Okay, I'm good! Anyhow, as always, I'm looking forward to getting some feedback from you guys! Hope you liked this one! Thanks again for all your support!**

 **Question of the week: What's your favorite chapter of Mafia Wars so far? I kind of feel stupid picking a favorite chapter of my own writing so I'm gonna skip answering this one! But I'm really interested to know your answers!**

 **Songs: Twenty Twelve - Matt Maeson, Desire - Meg Myers**

 **P.S. Anyone notice the SPN reference in Rose's POV? XD**

 **Lots of love, T!**


	42. CH42 - Alone with You

**POV: Adrian**

I glanced at my watch then out of mere habit reached up to adjust my tie. _No tie_. _No vest_. _No jacket._ I felt naked. Like I'd cast away my armor. But that was kind of the whole point I guess. My hand lingered in the air before I ended up toying with the top button of my T-shirt. In the end, I loosened two and let the third one be, simmering down as the car door opened and Sage hopped in.

"I was starting to think you weren't going to show", I commented as she fought to rearrange the ruffles on her blouse that got mixed up with the loose sleeveless cardigan she'd thrown on top of it.

"Me too."

"Oh, why don't you tell me what you really think", I scoffed, making her glance at me with a frown.

"I don't like lying."

"Good to know", I mumbled, tapping my knuckles on the partition to get the car going before I prompted: "What changed your mind?"

"Rose and Dimitri wanted to be alone."

"And you didn't want to be a cockblocker", I concluded, earning an eye-roll.

She fixed on the window while I fidgeted with the strap of my watch, knowing I was giving into a nervous tics despite my best efforts. She was no better. When I glanced at her, I could see she resorted to drumming her fingers on the armrest. I nearly laughed at how miserable we both were. We didn't want to be here. We'd been doing an awkward dance for days and neither of us was willing to mention our talk on the beach or act on it.

Dimitri and Rose didn't make the nearly tangible tension any easier either. For a while, I thought Dimitri was oblivious or purposefully avoiding to acknowledge what was going on. Not that anything was actually going on. But then I began to catch these curious looks he'd give me, like he could see something I didn't or perhaps couldn't. It agitated me. Rose, on the other hand, wasn't what I'd call subtle. She kept making annoyed faces at both her best friends and me. Though, that was less unsettling than the fact that, sometimes, there'd be this one other thing floating around in her eyes when she faced me that made me wonder if she'd developed mind-reading abilities. And my mind was messy. I could chalk up the odd dreams I kept having to the fever I fought for a few days, but couldn't find a single explanation for the thoughts I had in my lucid state. Thoughts about Sage.

She was stuck-up, stubborn, judgmental, fastidious, mind-numbingly boring and annoying as hell yet when she talked, I listened. When she was out of my line of sight, I looked for her. And I'd caught myself staring at her lips wondering what they'd taste like more times than I'd like to admit. So, whenever I noticed I was doing any of those things I'd instantly try to come up with excuses like: _you just listen to her to avoid getting an earful about being rude; you're just making sure you know where she is so she won't slip through your fingers like Rose once did; it's just been awhile since you hooked up with someone, nothing more_. Just? Yes that was the key word.

"Where are we going anyway?", she spoke up, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"A bar. Unless you're hungry?"

"A bar is fine."

This was going to be a long night if she continued to be so 'talkative'. Not that I myself knew what I should talk about either. Chitchat was never really my thing and deep talk with stranger was even less. But, I promised that nuisance Dimitri called his girlfriend that I'd try to be civil so I prompted: "How do you like L.A. so far?"

"It's nice. Though I haven't seen much of it being a prisoner and all."

"You always have to go there, don't you?"

"It's sort of unavoidable."

I opened my mouth to argue, but used all the restraint I had to stop and push out: "Look... we've got, let's say, two hours to kill and that time will feel like forever if we don't make an effort to at least tolerate each other. So, here's an idea. How about we pretend we've never met?"

"I'm not following."

"Let's go to this bar and act like we only now ran into one another. Like regular, random people. Strangers."

"You want me to pretend I don't know that you're a crim—."

"Yeah, exactly", I cut in, "And I'll pretend I don't know who Rose is or that you are her best friends. Deal?"

She pursed her lips and mulled my suggestions over before sighing: "Yeah. That sounds doable. Deal."

 **POV: Rose**

The view before me was truly captivating: the moon casting shimmery rays over the restless ocean, the stars dauntlessly shining against the louring clouds slowly gathering on the horizon, large waves sliding across the shore and ripping pieces of it to take with them when they melted back into the endless dark blue. Storms usually scared people. I found them alluring. I pressed my palm against the cool surface of the window and breathed in, catching a whiff of Dimitri's aftershave.

"Looks like it's going to rain", he commented, coming to stand behind me.

"Mhm" I hummed while he covered my hand, fingers spreading mine until they could slip between them.

I relaxed against his chest and he duck down to nuzzle his nose into the crook of my neck. He murmured something in Russian that I didn't have to understand to know he was expressing satisfaction and I smiled. He hugged my waist, tugging me closer and squeezed our laced fingers. I met his eyes in our reflection, seeing that familiar mix of lust and love fill them as he kissed his way up my shoulder.

"Where are Sydney and Adrian?"

"Out", he mumbled, reaching my earlobe and nibbling on it gently, "They won't be back until later."

"Good", I said, trying to turn around.

He held me firmly in place and asked: "Where do you think you're going?"

"Nowhere."

"That's right", he confirmed, catching my hand and guiding it to join the one on the window, "Keep them here."

"Why?"

"Because I said so", he responded sharply, but there was a dose of playfulness in his voice.

Before I could say anything else, he glued his lips to my neck and reached down to unzip and unbutton my jeans. His fingers snuck into my panties and I gasped, making him grin against my skin. He teasingly rubbed me for a few agonizingly long moments before letting one digit slip into me. I threw my arms back to hug him and tugged on his hair to urge him on, but instead of complying, he stopped moving all together.

"I thought I told you where to keep your hands", he roughly whispered into my ear, his voice thick with his accent.

"You're bossy", I groaned, but placed my hands back where he wanted them.

"Only with you", he laughed, thankfully going back to his previous activities.

His movements gained vigour until he made me a panting and trembling mess. I was about to start begging for more, but he seemed to have read my mind and in a swift move yanked my jeans and panties down. I distantly heard the soft clank of his belt buckle and found myself blurting: "Shouldn't we move?"

"Why? There's no one around to see us."

That was hardly true since Adrian and Sydney could come back or someone else could walk by, but I was quick to quit worrying. I shimmed out of my clothes as fast as I could and wiggled my naked butt which earned me slap right across it. I grinned and let out a giggle: "When did you get this cocky, Comrade?"

"I thought we'd established it's Dimitri in moments like this."

"Well, _Dimitri_ , you got me all hot and bothered. What are you gonna do to me?"

In response he tipped me forward, pressing my upper body into the glass. I felt a shiver of anticipation running through me when he gripped my ass and his other hand slid between us. I was positive I was never going to get used to that feeling of every nerve in my body catching fire upon that first thrust. He was surely and absolutely incapable of failing to make me needy for him. I was always so ready for him to take me and so relieved when he did. And every time he paused when he was buried in me and his breath caught, I knew he'd never get used to it either.

He bent over me, his fingers finding their way back between mine. He moved in a steady pace, every thrust sharp and deep. The window squeaked when I leaned my forehead against it and bit down on my lips out of habit, but there was really no one around to see or hear us. My legs grew weaker and weaker and I felt like every time he pulled away and plunged back into me I'd either fall apart or fall to the ground. I curled my fingers around his and gasped his name which clearly somehow transfered what I would've said if I could find the words.

He spun me around and crashed his lips into mine, picking me up before I could collapse. With me in his arms he still somehow managed to maneuver out of his pants, kissing me breathless all through it. He stepped forward, pressing me into the window as soon as I helped him get my shirt off. I shivered as the cold glass touched my heated skin and that shiver turned into a surprised jerk when his lips found their way to my breasts. I secured my legs around his waist and found my ability to speak had returned long enough for me to tease: "Really Comrade? Way too keen on putting my behind on display, don't you think?"

He was already positioned at my entrance when I spoke. His eyes shot up and as he fixed mine all I could think was: _Oh shit_! He let out a growl and went back to fucking me so hard I wondered how much more could the freaking window take before it gave under out collective pressure. He kissed and bit all over my chest, circling in on his desired destination hungryly. He sucked one of my nipples into his mouth, his tongue swirling over it gently at first until his teeth closed on it. It sent a shock straight into my core and made me whimper.

"Shit, Dimitri", I gasped when his mouth pulled back and he jerked his hips up.

He continued his assault with his lips and teeth but remained frozen, holding me up without making any attempts to proceed with what I wanted the most. Once I became desperate enough to try to argue with him, I opened my mouth, but only managed to get his name out before he pulled back and hammered into me again with all his might. And that's when I figured it out. The only thing I was capable of afterwards was gasping, moaning and screaming his name over and over until I forgot how to say anything else. And when he finally pushed me over the edge I cried and jerked my head back, hitting it hard enough to have a nasty bruise on it tomorrow. But when Dimitri thrust into me one last time and reached his own climax, I didn't give a shit about a bruise or much else.

Our loud breaths could be heard echoing off the walls despite the steady pour of rain outside. Dimitri kissed his way up my chest and neck as thunder rumbled and lightning followed, illuminating his eyes when they met mine. He lifted me, only long enough to slip out of me and then brought me back down so we could lean our foreheads together.

"Lesson learned."

"Lesson?"

"It's Dimitri", I whispered, giving him a peck.

He chuckled and hugged me tighter, turning around and walking slowly towards our bed. I clung to him with all my strength, which wasn't much at this point so I was glad it was close. I stared as deep into his eyes as he'd let me. He was still a mystery, but a mystery I was beginning to solve. He put me down gingerly and I moved to make room for him. I cuddled up to him as soon as he joined me, my head resting on his chest. I could hear his frantic heartbeat, the rhythm matching the thunder outside. He picked up one of my curls and twirled around his finger, smiling at me when I peered up at him. His smile made me melt, but at the same time felt like a shot of adrenaline straight into my heart.

I dragged my nails over his chest, sneaking my hand under the covers while a devilish grin spread over my lips and he laughed: "Roza."

"What? You know I'm hard to please."

"No, you just like being pleased a lot", he said and I couldn't really contradict.

When my hand moved lower, his teeth slipped over the corner of his bottom lip, making blood rush into it which only made it more inviting. I pushed myself up and caught his lip with my teeth, pulling on it playfully. His abs clenched as my fingers traveled over them and he made a sound that was downright sinful. Only a moment ago, I felt like I could fall asleep and wake up a week later, but now I was wide awake and ready for round two.

"Roza", he repeated, but now his voice was hoarse and lust-filled.

In response I propped myself up, the covers slipping away from us when I threw my leg over him and straddle him. He attempted to sit up, but I place my palm on his chest and push him back down. I wrapped my hand around his shaft and smiled in satisfaction when I saw him swallowing hard.

"That's right Dimitri. It's Roza", I said as I stroked him, loving the role reversal.

 **POV: Sydney**

I was having fun. As impossible as that sounded, even before I lost the ability to count my drinks, I was actually having fun. The deal Ivashkov and I made was a good idea and it began easier to uphold when alcohol started kicking in. _Adrian_ , I corrected myself, _you agreed to stop calling him by his last name._ Plus, calling him Adrian began feeling right. After all, I'd shared way too many stories of my life with him to keep treating him like a stranger. Or maybe that was the alcohol talking.

"Wait your mother actually called her?", he exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"Yes", I cried out, blushing fiercely, "Julia was so shocked she gave her that _bad connection, I'm driving through a tunnel_ line."

"That's a descent improvisation."

"Sure. But my mom called her landline."

He burst into laughter and I felt my cheeks ache from how wide my grin became as I watched him. _He has a nice laugh_. _Deep and honest_. _Contagious too_. A few giggles bubbled from my throat while he took in a shaky breath and slowly tried to calm down. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head, mumbling: "Your mom is something else."

"Yeah. But at least I get along with her more than I get along with my father."

"Heard", he said into his glass before taking a sip of his drink.

"You get along okay with your mother too, huh?"

His eyes fixed mine over the rim of the glass and, though I couldn't fully see his lips, his smile seemed to twist. He cleared his throat while he put his glass down and after a few intense moments he spent staring at me and I spent pondering if I'd said something wrong, prompted: "Rose hasn't told you?"

It was the first time he'd mentioned Rose all night which was a good clue that I somehow stumbled into forbidden territory. Not that I didn't already realize that as soon as his mood changed. I didn't know what to say or if I should even say anything so I only shook my head. His eyes left mine and I let out a breath I had no idea I was holding in the first place and then he said: "Both of my parents are dead."

I swallowed down and whispered: "I-I'm sorry."

There was hurt in his eyes. I could see it even though he wasn't looking at me. It was in every inch of them and then in a blink it was gone and he replied: "Don't be. It's one of the rare things that's not your fault."

I blinked at him in confusion and then my mind decided to help me out and give me a flashback of our conversation on the beach. _Did he just throw my own words back at me_? Before I could say anything else, he fished out his wallet and left enough bills on the table to cover our drinks and then some. I watched his bodyguards, Mason and Ethan, do the same but he shook his head sharply when they tried to stand. He got up and said: "Let's go for a walk."

"O-okay, yeah, sure", I blurted out, scrambling to follow him out of the bar.

As soon as we stepped outside, he produced a cigarette and stuck it between his lips, patting his pockets for a lighter. My nose wrinkled automatically which had him narrowing his eyes at me. I didn't think he'd see my reaction and I certainly didn't expect him to do anything about it, but he did. He pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and threw it in the closest trash can before saying: "That way."

I followed his eyes and distantly remembered it was the direction we came from with the car. We'd passed a park on our way to the bar and I figured that's where he wanted to go. I glanced up at the sky, realizing my vision blurred every time I moved my head. That wasn't a good sign. The dark clouds I faced weren't either, but I chose to ignore both of those things and started moving. We walked side by side in silence. I peered at him every once in a while, seeing him scowl a bit less the longer we kept going. Finally, his face relaxed and he asked: "So, what happened in the end?"

"Huh?"

"After your mother called Julia", he prompted as we crossed the street and made it to the park.

"Oh, well, she asked me to tell her the truth."

"And you don't like lying", he chuckled, rolling his eyes.

"But I did it anyway."

"Oh?", he exclaimed, nudging me to the left so we could stroll down the smaller path than the main one.

"There was no way in hell I was going to tell my _mother_ I'd spent the night with my boyfriend having sex."

"Understandable", he laughed, glancing at me as he added, "But, I'm pretty sure she knew it anyway."

"What makes you say that?"

"Your _I have a secret_ vibe is visible from the moon."

"That's not true", I protested as he came to a stop and turned to me.

"Oh, it is. Trust me."

"Trust you? Never", I chuckled, but he frowned at my words.

He opened his mouth to say something when a drop of rain fell on his cheek. He looked up and I followed his gaze, another drop hitting my forehead. And then a shower came down on us so suddenly it was like someone tripped over a bucket of water above us. I heard him hiss _shit_ under his breath before he took my hand and pulled me after him, heading into an unknown direction. His grip was warm and gentle, but at the same time strong. It was the first real contact we had and it was surprisingly comfortable. _You're joking, right?_ , a small, distant voice in my mind scoffed, but the rest of my brain cells and my body chose to ignore it.

I'd been going that all night. Ignoring every warning and stop sign in my head. I couldn't for the life of me explain why though. Was Rose right? If you put aside what he did for a living, if you ignored the fact that he kidnapped us both and all the bad things he'd probably done, what did you get? A good guy? Someone I'd misjudged? Some who could truly become my friend? No one was perfect, but I wasn't sure if I could look past the bad. I wasn't sure if I should. But, this whole night, I found myself trying to. Wanting to. I was treading a dangerous line. And I knew that one wrong step could have deadly consequences, quite literally too.

 _Trust you? Never_ , I'd said. But wasn't everything I'd done so far one big leap of faith. I couldn't possibly have faith in a man like him, could I?

"Adrian, where are we going?"

He didn't respond, just kept leading the way. We were soaked and probably lost, so after what seemed like forever I repeated: "Adrian—."

"There", he shot, tugging me after him in a way that nearly made me trip over my own feet.

I fought to see through the rain, but with the slight buzz I was still feeling it was even more difficult. And then it stopped. I frowned and blinked up in confusion, only to find a roof above my head. We were in a gazebo. I glanced at Adrian, his broad smile and unusually innocent look in his eyes, and couldn't help grinning. Drops of rain that his hair had soaked up were falling from the peaked tips at the front of his head, melting into his... _how did I not noticed those lashes before_? It was unfair really. Someone with eyes as beautiful as his shouldn't be allowed to have lashes I wouldn't be able to create even with five coats of mascara. _Eyes as beautiful as his? Really Sydney_?

"Take that off", he instructed, motioning at my soaked cardigan.

I did as he asked, watching him tousle his hair in an attempt to dry it which only made it more messy. He peered at me as I snickered, asking: "What?"

"Nothing."

"What?", he exclaimed, reaching to take the cardigan.

"Your hair is a disaster", I damn near snorted as I fought to subdue my laughter.

"You should see yours", he teased, missing my appalled expression since he had already turned to twist my cardigan until water seeped out of it.

I ran my fingers through my hair quickly before he spread my cardigan over the fence and reached behind his head to grab his collar. I shamelessly stared at him as he pulled his shirt off, heat running up my neck at the sight of his bare back. The man redefined the word toned. I was sure you wouldn't be able to achieve such perfect balance of ripped and delicate even if you graphically designed it, but the living proof of the fault in my theory was standing right in front of me. I was beginning to wonder if Adrian Ivashkov had been sent to earth for the sole purpose of proving me wrong.

I wasn't even going to get started on his front. I pretty much looked everywhere, but at his abs, chest and... _are those tattoos_? _What the hell is wrong with you!? Isn't it enough that you've spent hours running your mouth off about things you never should've told him and laughing at his jokes? Now you're going to get hot and bothered because he took his shirt off_?

"You want to give me your blouse?", he prompted and I jumped up, realizing he could actually see me ogling him now that he was facing me.

"I, um, no. I'm good."

I wasn't. My blouse was so wet every inch of it stuck to my skin, but he nodded and left it alone. I was grateful. We stood there for a couple of seconds watching the rain and then he glanced at me, an odd look in his eyes. Before I could begin trying to decipher it, it'd already turned into pure and undeniable determination. He walked up to me, his face splitting into a nearly predatory smile as I backed away and bumped into one of the beams of the gazebo. I was mostly confused, a bit scared and partially shocked when he stepped into my personal space and his arms went around me, hands latching onto the fence. I squirmed in the little free space I had, breathing in a mix of his cologne and whiskey, and suddenly feeling warm enough for my clothes to dry off on me. His eyes danced up my body and to my face excruciatingly slowly as he asked: "Why are you so afraid of me?"

 _Because you make me question my sanity_ , I thought but instead parotted for God knew which time: "You are a kidnapper, a murdered—."

"I know who and what I am", he cut in, his eyes pinning mine so hard my whole world shrunk into those green orbs, "That doesn't answer my question. _Why_ are you afraid of me?"

"I—", I started, but the only thing that came to my mind was _I don't know_.

"You wanna know what I think?", he prompted and I wordlessly nodded, feeling a mix of exliliarion and anxiety when he stepped even closer, "I think you're set on viewing the world as black and white. People are either good or bad. There's no in-between for you. So, everything that doesn't fall into those two categories, has to be forced into one of them. And I refuse to let you shove me into the evil pile which makes you lose that perfect little balance in your head. You're afraid of me because you can't rationalize your way around me."

"That's not true", I gasped weakly, feeling a shiver run up my spine when he ran his fingers over my cheek and tucked my damp hair behind my ear.

 _What is going on?_ , my mind screamed, but I was completely paralized.

"Oh, it is. And what's also true is that you're drawn to that other side. You want to step out of your world of rainbows and sunshine and peek into the shadows."

My breathing hitched as his body pressed into mine. _Why am I standing around, letting him corner me like this_? _Why am I allowing him to touch me_? _And why is this turning me on_? I was drunk. That was the only reasonable ex—. _Oh my God he's right_! I was desperately trying to rationalize a nonsensical situation because it completely baffled me that I couldn't control my reactions to him. Whenever I was around him all logic went out the window. There was something about him, something that made me wonder whether he was right about the ' _peeking into the shadows_ 'part as well.

He brought his lips an inch away from mine, his eyes still piercing through me. I felt my pulse go erratic when his whispers ghosted over my lips while he added: "And you're terrified that you'll like what you find there."

Then he closed the distance between us. The moment he kissed me, my mind all but burst into countless pieces along with all the thoughts, warnings, boundaries and rationalizations in it. I'd never been kissed like this before. It was that body on fire, all consuming, holding on for dear life kind of kisses I'd only read about in books. It turned, lifted and smacked my world all around until I could hardly stand. And I probably would've crumbled if not for his hands steadying me, legs circling mine, firm chest pressing against my heaving one. Even when his hands left my shoulders and sunk into my hair, fingers tangling with it so much I could only assume they'd stay stuck in it forever, I felt anchored.

His incredibly soft lips felt rough when used to conquer mine, his skilled tongue not waiting for permission to dip into my mouth. _I never want him to stop_ , a cry desperately echoed through my brain as I tried to recall how to fully turn it back on. His lips moved to my neck hungrily and I moaned, feeling them turn up in a smirk. A smirk? The smirk that I cursed so many times. I hated that smirk. Well, not really, but that smirk was so often attached to the face of—.

 _Oh my God, I'm kissing Adrian freaking Ivashkov_. Tingles spread through every inch of my body, bringing circulation back to my limbs. I started pushing him as hard as I could, but realized I didn't need even half of the force I used since, the moment he felt me resisting, he let me go. He stepped back enough for my hand to have room to smack him right across his stupid, gorgeous face.

"Ouch. What was that for?", he exclaimed as his cheek reddened.

"Why did you do that?"

"Um, I'm pretty sure you were doing it too?"

"I was not. And, and... put your damn shirt back on, you'll catch a cold."

"Is that what you're worried about?", he questioned, that freaking smirk making an appearance again, "Me catching a cold?"

"I—, you—, ugh, we are LEAVING."

"It's still raining", he pointed out, clearly amused by the fact that I was flustered and battling to find my words among the incoherent screams in my mind.

"I don't care", I said, heading back towards the steady pour outside the gazebo.

"Sydney, wait", he voiced, his hand wrapping around my biceps and pulling me back towards him. I gave him a deadly glare or at least I thought I did which led to his hand dropping. He remained dangerously close though so I could still feel his warm breath on my face when he continued: "Let me get us a ride first."

"I won't stay here for a second longer unless you promise me you won't kiss me again."

"Is that what you really want?", he challenged with his eyebrow cocked.

"Yes", I said adamantly, but there was this weak voice somewhere deep in my subconscious begging me not to do this. I wanted to snuff that voice out.

"Alright. I promise I won't kiss you again. Unless you ask me to."

"No unless. No kissing. Ever. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am", he responded with a dramatized serious expression.

"Fine. And put your—."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it", he cut in, grabbing our things from the fence.

There was only one thing playing in a loop around my mind while we waited for the car to arrive. One word. _Fuck_.

* * *

 **Hey everyone, sorry I'm late! Yesterday was a busy day for me, but I was set on updating this weekend so here I am! I can't say the same for next week though! I'll try to update, but I decided to wait until I have the following 2 chapters written before I post! The reason? A masive cliff-hanger at the end of the following chapter! I know y'all will kill me if you get that chapter and then wind up waiting for more than a week for the next one! Sooo, be patient with me! I'm going my best! Anyhow, I really hope you liked these few fluffy/smutty chapters (as always, gimme some feedback please) cause things are about to get heated! Also, I hope y'all are having a smashing weekend!**

 **Question of the week: What is the name of the last song you listened to? I finally got some free time to listen to Radio Company's first album (yep fellow SPN lovers, Jensen finally did it) and Cannonball was playing while I was writing this AN! Btw the whole album is awesome! If anyone wants to check it out, I believe you can find it on Spotify, iTunes or YT!**

Lots of love, T!

 **Songs: Lurk - The Neighbourhood, Gangster - Kehlani**


	43. CH43 - This is War

**POV: Natalie**

"Again."

I finished off my last coat of nailpolish, humming the song I was listening to on my way here. It was a catchy tune. One I quite liked. But the increasing gurgling sounds in the background interrupted me before I could get to the chorus. Giving up, I rolled my eyes and blew on my nails out of habit even though the polish I had was one of those fast drying ones. I crossed my legs and leaned back, glancing at the clock. After a few moments, I gave a signal that was followed by desperate coughs. I stood up, carefully straightening my skirt so I wouldn't mess up my nails. It was past noon and I was tired so I shortened my usual question to only one word: "Where?"

"Bite me", she replied, just as I expected.

Ralf looked at me for orders, but I flippantly waved him away. I neared the table, carefully skipping over a puddle of blood that turned pinkish from all the water. My shoes were Chanel afterall and red most certainly didn't go with my outfit. From all the tortures we'd tried, waterboarding was the least fun and, apparently, the least effective. I was so close to breaking her when I was carving her up. So close. That was until she started with the string of curses again and it was clear we were back to square one.

"Why are you doing this to yourself? All this pain... for what? I mean I heard he can be charming, but come on! You're really telling me he's worth _dying_ for?"

"Go to hell!", she spat out, jerking her hands angrily even though she and I both knew it'd only cause her more pain. Her restraints weren't breaking, but the skin around her wrists was. They were hideous to look at really and I thought about two cute Cartier bracelets that would cover those wounds up quite nicely.

"Mia, let me lay this out for you. You're giving me Ivashkov whether you like it or not. I always get what I want and this time won't be any different. But, if you cooperate, you get to go home and I can go take my girlfriend out to lunch. It's a win-win. So what do you say?"

"Shove it up your ass bitch."

"Fine. Have it your way", I huffed, twirling around and motioning Ralf back. As I walked away, her screams spilled through the room once more. I sighed, taking my phone out seconds before it began ringing. _Shit,_ I thought as I picked up.

"Hey, daddy. I was just about to call you", I sang as cheerfully as I could.

"Darling, how are things?"

"Work in progress", I mumbled, knowing I'd have to admit to failing no matter how much I wished to avoid it, "But I've dealt with the cameras. How's it going over there?"

"Good, very good. You were right, the new addition has been very helpful."

"Speaking of, will you send him my way? I've hit a bit of a snag with my new... _friend_. I might have to go with plan B."

"Well, that's unfortunate", he mumbled, the disappointment in his voice making my stomach turn, "I'll send him. You stay clear of that mess though. And don't leave DNA or—."

"I know. It's not my first rodeo", I cut in, gritting my teeth, "I'll see you soon."

I hung up and scanned the space around me again, making sure I memorized the entire layout before I made my way back inside. Ralf looked up when I rejoined them, wiping blood off his face with the back of his hand. It annoyed me when he did that. Hadn't the brute ever heard of a handkerchief? I tilted my head and waited for him to come to me.

"You think we can keep her from bleeding out for a few hours?"

"Well you went in too deep in some places, but I can patch those up."

"Do that. I'm going home. I'll call you once it's time for you to do the same."

He nodded and I added: "Oh and when that time comes make sure to rip up what you've patched and work her over a bit more. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. Now, go take a break. It's gonna be a long day."

He left and I walked up to Mia again, seeing her eyes were still filled with anger and defiance despite the tears gathered at the corners of them. Her mascara was practically nonexistent now, which was probably better since she wore way too much before. The grunge goth look was sooo 1995. She gave me what looked like a mocking smile, but the energy behind it wasn't nearly as strong as it was hours ago. Her voice was raw from all the screaming, but she managed to keep it more or less even as she taunted: "Let me guess, where can you find Adrian Ivashkov?"

"Wrong. _Asking_ was only option one. It's time we move on to option two."

I could tell she wanted to ask what option two was, but she didnʼt. She stared up at the ceiling and kept her mouth shut. Maybe she prayed. Maybe she cursed the day she'd laid eyes on Ivashkov. Perhaps she wished she was less stubborn or at least less loyal. Or there might've been nothing in her head at all. Either way her fate was sealed. And it was an unfortunate one.

 **POV: Sydney**

"HE DID WHAT?"

Rose jumped off my bed with impressive speed, trying to catch my eyes even as I deliberately turned around to fold my sweater so she couldn't. I felt my cheeks blush and heat spread down to my neck once she moved toward me and grasped my shoulder, pulling it until I faced her. _Why was I embarrassed? I didn't even do anything_. As a response, my mind produced images of my hands clutching to Adrian's arms, that treacherous moan that escaped me and the fact that it only took his tongue touching my lips for me to give him full access. _Fuck, I not only let him kiss me, but I enjoyed it_. _I deserved to die of embarrassment_.

"Are you okay? Do you want me to kick his ass?"

"I'm fine. He kissed me. I slapped him. He promised not to do it again. It's fine. No need for you to get involved."

"OH, I'm getting involved alright! I'm gonna tear him a new one."

"Please don't. The sooner we put this behind us, the sooner we can forget it."

 _Yeah, right! As if I could forget what it felt like to have my world set on fire, to have every fiber of my being— UGH, NO! Stop_! I sighed and shook my head, giving Rose what I hoped was a reassuring smile. In response her face twisted into a familiar expression. It was that _I'm fighting between what I want to say and what I think I should say_ one. But, as always, her true self always won.

"It was hot though, wasn't it?"

"Rose", I exclaimed as she failed to subdue a giggle.

"What? We sort of had a thing, once. Long time ago. I didn't get to kiss him, but the things he can do with those lips, mmm", she purred, but I knew she was only doing it to tease me. Even if I put aside the fact that she was head over heels for Dimitri, I've spent enough time with all of them to see she didn't look at Adrian in an even remotely sexual way. It was the same for him. Rose acted like he was her big brother and her kid at the same time, constantly torn between seeking his protection and shielding him from harm. Their relationship was complicated and hard for me to grasp, but I still didn't want the current situation to ruin it.

"We are _not_ talking about that."

"Why? Oh, come on. You liked it. I can tell."

"No, I absolutely did not like it."

She grinned and was about to say something when muffled shouts filled the hall. We exchanged confused looks before Dimitri, Kit and Adrian burst inside as Kit pleaded: "Adrian, you can NOT do this!"

Last night while were were at the bar Adrian seemed different. I hadn't noticed it before, but he usually looked much older than he really was. I guess there was some proof to Rose's theory about him being a decent human being right there. I figured the bad things he'd done burdened him, enough to take away any speck of innocence left in him. Goodness too. Though I was beginning to accept that, despite everything, I might be wrong about that second one. However, that man I'd caught a glimpse of, the young guy with an honest smile and life in his eyes was gone now, replaced by someone more familiar. Someone angry and deadly.

"I can and I will", he said, turning his blazing eyes to us, "You two. Pack."

"We're leaving?", Rose asked, after which Kit and Adrian shouted yes and no in unison.

"Dimitri, please tell me at least you can see that this is a bad idea?", Kit pleaded as he turned to him, but the man met his eyes with visible conflict in them.

"Dimitri", Adrian said more like a warning than his actual name.

"What's going on?", Rose questioned, but was entirely ignored.

"Fine", Adrian exploded, pointing his finger at Kit, "You want to stay here, then stay here. Hell, Dimitri can stay too. You can all fucking stay. I'll do it alone."

"No, you won't", Dimitri said quietly, letting out a huff, "I'll come."

"It's a trap", Kit persisted, eyeing them both in a way that screamed: _I'm going to start throwing punches if you don't start listening_.

"You don't think I know that?", Adrian challenged then Rose reached the end of her patience.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?"

In response Adrian dug out his phone and threw it into her hands. She scanned it then looked up in alarm at him, asking: "Whose number is this?"

"Mia's", he breathed out, his voice shaking a little, "It's Mia's number."

Rose stared at him unmoving and silent for a few moments before she turned on her heels and moved around the bed, ducking to pull out my bag. She barely met my eyes when she ordered: "Gather your things. I'll help you pack."

"Rose", Kit nearly gasped.

"It's Mia, Kit. She's a bit of a bitch and she's crazy as fuck, but she's a friend. If that doesn't mean anything to us then I don't know what does."

"But—", he tried before she cut in.

"We're going."

"It's settled then", Adrian announced, clearly deciding two votes was enough, "I can make the travelling arrangements while those of you who are coming pack."

I didn't miss the way he looked at Kit challengingly and he didn't either. He was quick to correct his annoyed expression into a submissive one before he said: "It sounds like a plan... I guess. Do you need help with anything?"

According to Rose, defying Adrian wasn't something any of his employees did, Kit and Dimitri included. He acted friendly towards them, but he _was_ their boss. And now, Kit had not only defied him, but downright rebelled. I expected Adrian to, as Rose would put it, _tear him a new one_ for it, despite his attempt to rectify the situation, but he didn't. He was either choosing to let it slide or too eager to get going because he only said: "Get me Ashford. Castile too. They'll be taking, Sydney and—."

"Just Sydney", Rose interrupted, meeting him with a determined expression.

"Rose", Dimitri finally tuned back in, "This will be dangerous."

"News flash Comrade, dangerous is the main description of the last four months of my life. I'm used to it."

"I thought we agreed not to seperate", I weakly butted in, realizing I'd been silent and paralyzed through all of this and it was clearly time to voice my opinion, not that I understood the first thing about what was going on.

"It'll only be for a little while. As soon as we rescue Mia, we'll join you at—", she trailed off and looked at Adrian for clues.

"My aunt's place."

"But—."

"Syd", she stopped me, fixing me with her eyes pleadingly, "Trust me."

 _Always_ , I thought and so I shut my mouth and started collecting my clothes.

 **POV: Rose**

"Clear."

I tightened my hold on my gun as Adrian nudged me and whispered: "Come on. We're moving in."

I felt my heartbeat quicken as we headed toward the warehouse. I glanced at the trucks parked in front of it. They were all rusty and covered in dirt and dust, but they were a sight for sore eyes. With so much open space around us I was happy to have anything we could use as cover, even if it was junk. Adrian too, clearly. I heard him huff unevenly once we ducked behind one of them. He peered around it at the closest entrance while I looked for Dimitri. He was nearby, with McCall right behind him. Adrian turned back to me and fixed his eyes on mine in a hard stare as he said: "Stay behind me, you hear? And if things get heated in there get the hell out of dodge. Don't play a hero, alright?"

"Sure."

"Rose. I mean it", he stressed.

"Yeah. I got it. Don't worry."

I heard Dimitri's voice flow through my earpiece and then we were on the move again. McCall and Dimitri were the first ones in and I felt my heart galloping as I waited for their go-ahead. I couldn't decide whether the deafening silence ought to calm me or scare me even more, but I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath, watching Alto and Wilket go inside before it was Adrian's and my turn.

I could hardly see where we were going. I was aware we were moving through a few rows of empty racks, then some with boxes and cans of some kind scattered all around them and finally towers of stacked up pallets. _Typical warehouse_. The lack of light made the place seem normal and _haunted house basement_ creepy at the same time. Or maybe it was the anticipation of shit hitting the fan that made my skin crawl.

We passed through a door and ended up in a narrow hallway when Dimitri's hiss flowed into my ear. I didn't know what _дерьмо_ meant exactly, but since I heard him use it only when he was pissed or something bad had happened I wasn't too happy to hear it.

" _Head on straight_ ", McCall instructed," _Last door in the corridor._ "

" _I'm hitting the lights_ ", one of the guys announced, " _This place's a ghost town_."

Sickening white lights came to life forcing me to cringe and shut my eyes. They were those surgery room type only made dimmer by a layer of dust that covered them like everything else around here. I kept walking even though my eyes took a bit longer than I expected to adjust, so I wound up stumbling into someone. As soon as they grabbed my arm to steady me, I knew who they were.

"Thanks", I said, peering up at Dimitri only to find he wasn't looking at me.

His expression made my stomach flip and realized why he cursed the moment I followed his gaze to the middle of the room. A table stood there and on it was a body that barely looked human. It was torn and bloody, barely recognizable. It wasn't until I noticed streaks of pink between red stained blond strands that I knew who I was looking at. I almost puked.

Adrian moved toward the table with impressive speed. His eyes frantically ran over Mia's mangled body, his hand lingering in the air almost like he was afraid to touch her. I distantly heard Dimitri telling McCall to clear the room as I took an uncertain step forward.

"Mia", Adrian pushed out, his voice barely above a whisper.

When I met Mia, the first thought that came to mind was: _she's one tough bitch_. Her height and build was similar to mine, but her personality made her look two times her size. Maybe that was the reason this felt so surreal, the reason why I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that this small and broken figure before me was actually her. Her eyes were closed and, if it wasn't for the rapid rise and fall of her chest, I would've thought she was already dead.

I peered over my shoulder, noticing there was nobody but Dimitri and McCall left to stand behind me, both of them watching the scene a few feet away from me with grim expressions. Only as I looked at Dimitri, his eyes finally met mine and he moved towards me, placing his hand on my shoulder while he offered: "You don't have to stay here. I can walk you out."

"No. It's fine, I—, shouldn't we call an ambulance?"

"They can't do anything for her anymore", he replied, the finality in his voice causing a shiver to work its way down my spine.

"Mia, hey, come on", Adrian prompted as Dimitri and I glanced at him.

Mia's eyes fluttered open and I found myself stumbling towards her, a sickening feeling washing over me as I inhaled. The closer I got, the heavier the cloying smell of blood became. I tried breathing through my mouth instead, but it only made things worse. I could almost taste her blood, its metallic undertone gluing to my tongue. Her lips twitched and with what seemed like a lot of effort formed a smile, her voice straining as she said: "Don't you look pooped? Cheer the fuck up. It's a beautiful day."

Adrian's expression stayed blank for a moment, but then he smirked and dryly laughed: "It's night Rinaldi. Get your shit together."

"You get your shit together Ivashkov", she shot, a rough cough cutting her lines in half, "I'm dying and you don't see me bawling. What's your excuse?"

I frowned, looking up at Adrian for clues. I froze when I noticed how watery his eyes were. He wasn't crying, but it seemed he was close to it. Mia was going to die. Her wounds were so severe it was a wonder she was still breathing. Even if I'd clung to some resemblance of hope that we could save her, Dimitri had made it clear there was no point in doing so. That realization, combined with the look of defeat on Adrian's face, made me unsteady on my feet. I tucked my gun away and reached back, seeking comfort from the only person who could give it to me and his hand caught mine immediately. He was right there, right where I needed him. Like always.

"Hey Handsome", Mia voiced when she noticed Dimitri beside me, "Thanks for coming to the rescue."

"Oy, I thought I was supposed to be your knight", Adrian joked, making her roll her eyes.

"My God you're a jackass", she cried out, reaching for him as she tried to sit up, "Help me off this thing, will you?"

"You shouldn't move."

"Why? 'Cause I'll bleed out and... _oh wait_ ", she exploded, glaring at him.

He nodded and carefully slipped his arms under her, lifting her into his embrace. A painful wail escaped her and she curled up against his chest. She took a shaky breath and instructed: "Take me outside. This place makes me want to hurl."

Once we stepped outside, Adrian moved towards a stack of pallets near the door while McCall took his jacket off and crunched it into a ball. He pushed it under Mia's head when Adrian put her down. I saw her eyes shift towards the sky, lips pulling into a weak smile as she mumbled: "I told you it was beautiful."

Adrian nodded without even looking, brushing her hair away from her face. She frowned and added: "I didn't tell her. I didn't tell that bitch a fucking thing."

"I know. You're a good friend."

"I'm not your friend", she burst, but the look in her eyes was telling a different story, "But I'm not a snitch either. I—."

"Okay Rinaldi, you hate my guts. We all know it."

"Damn right", she whizzed, but finally her expression softened, "There's no one I'd rather hate than you Pretty Boy."

There was a small pause before she added: "You better fucking win, alright? I'll come back to haunt your ass if it turns out I died for nothing."

"I will. I'll make them pay."

"Good", she muttered, her eyelids now opening more slowly when she blinked.

I looked away. I couldn't watch her die. I wouldn't.

I knew she was gone once a shaky puff slipped between McCall's lips. I knew it was all over when Dimitri rubbed his neck, hiding his face from us with his arm. I knew she was dead once I peeked at Adrian as his eyes closed and a growl tore away from his lips: "FUCK!"

His hands flew to his head, the blood smeared over them transferring to his hair. He pulled on it, leaving it disheveled once his hands slid down and over his face roughly. He stormed off towards the trucks behind us, slamming his fist into one and kicking a tire on the other so hard the whole vehicle shook. Dimitri gave out an order for everyone to regroup here and those who were left to guard the roads to bring the cars around. I watched Adrian pace in circles, anger radiating off his body in waves so strong I thought he'd nuke the whole place and us with it. One step in his direction was all I brought myself to do since I soon realized going to him was pointless. I had no idea what to say to him, how to comfort him, how to take his pain away.

I glanced away from Adrian once a short flash of light in the distance caught my attention. I blinked and tried to locate its source, but there was nothing but dark, and empty middle of nowhere around me. We passed another warehouse about a half mile away from here and I thought maybe it came from there, but that place was abandoned and even emptier than this one so I cast that thought away. Only, as I decided to head towards Adrian afterall, the flash appeared again. And now, I registered its color too. _Red_.

"GET DOWN", I screamed before a bullet hit the truck Adrian stood by.

It barely missed his head and he ended up falling over as he tried to get away. In a heartbeat I was next to him, latching onto his arm to help him back up. Dimitri yelled for us to take cover and I heard five different men shouting warnings into my earpiece about incoming fire. It all happened so fast I could only assume our enemies teleported here. There was no way they slipped past us undetected. We made sure every hole in the ground we came across was empty, let alone the roads and any place that more than two people could use as a hiding spot.

"We need to get inside", Adrian said, his arm flying over my head to keep me as covered as possible. I automatically pulled on the straps of my bulletproof vest, making sure it was fastened on properly as I felt him push me back towards the warehouse.

"I told you this was a fucking trap", McCall panted when we colided with him.

"Well cookie for you", Adrian scoffed just as another bullet dug into the wall an inch away from me, "Now move before the sniper blows your fool head off."

"This is bad", I mumbled while we dashed into the brightly lit hallway, "We're so screwed."

"Probably", Adrian said, "But at least we'll have some fun, right?"

"Fun?", Dimitri, Kit and I all questioned to which he shrugged.

" _Sir, we're surrounded_ ", Ethan Walker announced, his voice breaking up a little.

"Excellent, means we can attack in any direction", Adrian replied cheerfully. He was one deranged individual. I trusted a lunatic with my life. _Awesome_.

"This is bad."

"You said that already", he pointed out, handing me a few magazines.

"It seemed worth repeating."

Dimitri's hand closed around my bicep and he pulled me to the side. I faced him and, before I could say anything, he kissed me. He kept it PG-13, but I still felt a flush spread through my body. When he pulled away and looked at me, I noticed how calm his expression was. _This was his job_ , I reminded myself, _he was used to it_. Still, I couldn't help but wonder if there was at least a little part of him that was just as freaked out as me. If there was, he didn't show it. He caught my chin with his fingers and tilted my head up while saying: "You'll be okay. Stay close, concentrate and don't hesitate. Anyone you don't know comes at you, you shoot them. Okay?"

"Yeah."

"I'll be right next to you."

"Okay."

"Let's move", Adrian said and I took a deep breath, bracing myself for hell.

 **POV: Dimitri**

We got seperated. It had been fifteen minutes since I last laid eyes on Adrian and if that wasn't enough to drive me insane from worry then not hearing from him for at least half of that time definitely was. McCall wasn't nearby either, but I could tell he was alive by the quick warnings he'd shoot over the line. _Perhaps Adrian was simply too busy fighting to remember to use his earpiece_ , I thought, dashing to take cover while I reloaded. Rose's and my back collided and I spared a few seconds to look at her. We shared a smile and then she was off.

She surprised me. Killing Zeklos left her shocked and terrified. He was her first kill and though many thought that one was the hardest, experience proved to me that wasn't the case. The first one was reflex, survival instinct, but the second... that was when your conscious took over. But, Rose didn't freeze like I expected her to. She kept moving, kept fighting, like all of this was normal.

" _I got a visual on Adrian_ ", McCall voiced and I exhaled in relief.

" _Looks like they're pulling back gentlemen_ ", Wilket announced.

" _And lady._ "

I snickered and peered over my shoulder at Rose, seeing her grin. I was about to reply when I noticed someone move in the shadows behind her. I aimed near her though mostly shot blindly so I'd scare off her assailant and get her to move. He fled, but knocked over a rack with a few boxes in the process. Rose managed to avoid the rack, but the boxes toppled over her. I only allowed myself a second to make sure she was alright before I was on the move.

I caught up with the man in record time, seeing the shot I took was more precise than I thought. His limping slowed him down and he didn't turn in time to fight back. I would've taken him down effortlessly, but I got distracted by a short and quiet noise behind me. It was the only warning I got before I was forced to jump into a stack of pallets left of me to avoid getting a bullet in my back. The impact hurt more than expected, but I was grateful for the mess the pallets created. That gave me enough time to roll into relative safety. I was lucky to find my way to a wide pillar since that was the most bulletproof cover around. I spared a glance at where I'd last seen the man I was chasing, but he was long gone.

Whoever attacked me stopped shooting which was a relief and a problem at the same time since it prevented me from locating their hiding place. When the man spoke up his voice echoed through the warehouse, doing little to narrow the few possibilities I was considering. It seemed like he was close and still behind me. I couldn't tell more than that, but I could tell who he was and I barely suppressed a groan.

"Been a long time Belikov."

 _Fucking Samuel_. I checked my magazine, making sure I had more bullets in it. I propped myself against the pillar and waited for him to speak again. I held my breath, focusing on every sound that would tip me off on his position further.

"Looks like the kid ain't winning no more, huh?", he voiced and I could picture that nasty scar in his eyebrow bunching up while he narrowed his eyes, trying to find me in all the mess. At least I was hoping that was what he was doing. I'd be fucked if he already knew where I was since he'd be able to take me down when I moved. Adrian was right. He should've killed him when he had the chance.

"Come on!", he taunted as I shifted from my crouch slowly, standing up before I braced myself to attack, "I never pegged you for a pussy. Let's finish this!"

 _He's right behind me_ , I concluded when he made the mistake of moving his feet. I took a deep breath and slid to the side. He was clearly waiting for me to move, but I didn't give him a chance to correct his aim. His pig-like eyes widened once he realized I was going to be faster and I definitely heard his gun go off, but that miniature advantage I had was enough for me to drop him before he could shoot me. He crumbled down and I huffed: "It's finished."

The sound of my heartbeat slowly dialed down after which I heard Rose calling my name. I made my way past Samuel and barely suppressed the urge to spit on him. I should've been ashamed to admit I regretted that he'd died so fast. A man that'd dealt as much pain as he had deserved to feel at least a half of it before he took his last breath. But it was wrong to wish for something like that, even if the man in question was a monster. And when I felt a sharp ache spread through my stomach I was sure it was some sort of punishment for my thoughts.

I would've ignored that ache, casting it off as nothing but a bruise or cut caused by my nosedive into the pallets earlier, but the more I moved the stronger it got. I pressed my palm to my shirt and one glance at my hand was enough to let me know I was wrong about my assumptions. Blood coated my fingers. Way more than a cut would exude. _I guess that's where Samuel's last shot ended up_. I tried to ignore the pain, but my body chose that moment to make everything turn real, sensitive and intense.

I wanted to keep going. I wanted to at least stay on my feet. Instead my legs just stopped moving and then stopped working altogether. There was nothing to hold or latch onto, nothing breaking my fall. I hit the ground so hard I blacked out. In all of the chaos, with how tired I was, I welcomed oblivion. But, it didn't last for long. I opened my eyes again in time to see someone lean over me. I flexed my fingers, realizing my gun wasn't in my hand anymore, but it was replaced by the warm and gentle hand I'd know anywhere before I could panic too much.

"Roza."

"Oh God", she whispered, cupping the hand still pressed against my stomach. I wanted to tell her I'd be alright, but no matter how hard I tried to speak, my lips wouldn't move. Her shoulders tensed and I thought she'd detected a threat, but then I saw Adrian appear above her. He latched onto her while she stammered: "He—, he's bleeding. He was shot. They shot him, Adrian. They—."

He didn't let her finish. He moved around her and grabbed me, hauling me into his lap, a movement that made searing pain shot through my body. I let my eyes wander up to his and when they met, the protest and curses I was about to direct at him died on my lips. I've only seen him look at me like this once. I hoped I'd never see that look again.

"No, no, no. No, you don't get to die like this. You don't get to leave me."

"It's okay", I pushed out, cringing at how strained my voice sounded.

"No it's not", he snapped, but I could tell it was worry not anger filling his eyes, "I told you, I told you a million times to wear a bulletproof vest. Haven't I told you?"

I nearly fell into the old habit of arguing over that topic. But there was no time. I knew that each second Adrian and Rose spent here brought them closer to being shot themselves. And I wasn't going to let that happen.

"You have to go. They might come back."

"Let them", he spat through gritted teeth, "I have a bullet for each and every one of those fucking bastards."

"Adrian", I warned, but he was already pulling me up.

"A little help here", he said and it admittedly took me a moment to realize it was Rose he was addressing. I didn't think I'd be able to help anyway, not with how slack my body had gone. This was all happening too quick.

They dragged me to my feet and started moving, Adrian yelling at the men to go to their cars. We made slow progress and I protested about it, but Adrian quickly snapped at me in my mother tongue: "Shut up. I'm trying to save you."

"Yeah, well, you're an idiot."

"No, I'm family", he said sharply, switching back to English.

Our eyes met and it was almost like he pushed his energy at me through them. It was a surge I needed to get my feet back under me. I couldn't fully move by myself, but at least I managed to keep standing when Rose let go to rush toward our car. _How did we end up outside without me even noticing it_?, a panicked thought crossed my mind after which I realized I was actually blacking out through most of the walk. Rose's hands shook as she tried to open the door and I tried to calm her by teasing: "I think this is the longest you've ever been quiet Rose."

"Don't get used to it, Comrade", she chuckled, but her voice was muffled by an obnoxious noise.

I looked up and through a blur saw a black car speeding towards us. I knew they would come back, but instead of telling Adrian _I told you so_ I only pushed out: "You might have to use those bullets now."

"I'll be delighted."

"Rose, get in the car", I said, but my voice was so weak I wasn't surprised when she didn't react. Instead, she pulled out her gun and aimed at the car. She shot at it, but the bullet bounced off the windshield without leaving a scratch. However, her actions did make the car skid to a stop.

Someone touched my shoulder and I jerked back, nearly knocking Adrian down. He was balancing my weight with the help of only one arm since he reached for his gun with the other. Luckily, McCall was the one who approached us and was quick to grab me and keep us all upright.

"They come in peace", McCall mumbled and I looked up, seeing the driver stick his hand out the window and wave.

"Keep him standing", Adrian shot before nudging me into McCall's arms. I shut my eyes for only a second, trying to concentrate on fighting my way through the pain. Only that second turned out to be longer than I'd thought since by the time I opened them back up Adrian was face to face with Ibrahim Mazur.

"Donʼt be trigger happy son, Iʼm here to help."

"Not your son and not interested", Adrian growled, but Ibrahim quickly pointed at me and challenged: "He might differ."

I wouldʼve protested if my mouth didnʼt choose to take a vacation. Instead Rose did the talking: "You're the reason he almost died once already."

"I know Kiz, I'm trying to make up for it. Now, come on. We don't have a lot of time."

"You're crazy if you think I'm ever trusting you again", Adrian spat out, fingers flexing around his gun. The one hovering over the trigger was dangerously close to closing the remaining gap, but Rose put her hand on top of the gun and forced it down. Adrian gave her an angry look, but she seemed too defeated to care.

"Let's just use his fucking ride and deal with him later. One battle at a time."

I attempted to speak once more, but Adrian yelled: "Stay awake, you hear?! Don't you dare close your eyes again!"

 _What_?, was the only thing my mind produced. We were moving. We were in the car. _A car_. Not ours. Adrian was hovering over me, applying a painful amount of pressure to my wound. I reached for him, but my hand was blocked by Rose's elbow. I was slumped against her and felt her chest jump as she shouted: "Drive fucking faster!"

"Adrian", I gasped. I was going to say so many things to him, but never got past his name.

"I'm here. Hang in there."

"You'll be okay", Rose added and I tilted my head until I could look at her.

 _No_. _I won't_.

I hadn't prayed for years. _Years_. But as I began feeling the pressure of Adrian's hands fade and numbness set in and saw the frightened tears gathering in Rose's eyes while she cradled me against her chest, I closed my eyes and prayed as hard as I could. _Please God, not today_. _Not like this_. _Don't make me abandon them. Not when they need me the most. Please let me stay. Let me protect those I love. Please._ But God didn't hear me or he didn't care. I felt myself fading and I knew this was it for me.

"Hey, stay with me. Dimitri. DIMITRI!", Adrian shouted, shaking me roughly.

But I couldn't.

It was over.

I was done.

* * *

 ***putting on a bulletproof vest* DON'T KILL ME Y'ALL!**

 **Sooo, this finally happened! After over a year of writing and 42 chapters later, we're back to the scene from the beginning of this story! I knew many of you had a lot of questions about it and this cliffy is definitely gonna create more, but most will be answered in the following chapter! I knew I said I wasn't going to post this one until that following was finished, but I did (sorry, not sorry)! I did however finish writing more than a half of the following chapter so I think it'll arrive on time! Alsoooo I made this chapter EXTRA long (1500+ words more than the average chapter length in this story) to make up for... well, you did all see that ending right? XD**

 **Other than the dramatic DPOV, we had the very first Natalie POV (which was edited and made awesome by my wonderful friend megamorr) and I'm dying to know what y'all think about it and her! Andddd RIP Mia, you'll be missed (at least by me)! I did warn you that shit was about to get crazy!**

 **I'm gonna need a lot of feedback on this one guys so please PM, review, shout from rooftops, contact my embassy and ask them to either send me a fruit baskets or bombs! XD I've been preparing for this chapter since I started Mafia Wars and I'm dying to know what y'all think about it!**

 **Question of the week: What's the most useless talent you have? I'm not sure if it should be called a talent, but for me it's definitely memorizing lyrics! I swear I have no idea where and why those are stored in my brain, but you could play me a song I haven't heard for 10 years and I'd still sing along without making a single mistake! Also, I can hear a new song just ones and immediately learn its lyrics! Once it's in my brain, it'll never EVER leave! And just in case this is not accepted as a talent... I can touch my ears with my feet (thank you excessive stretching sessions I had through all of my dance lessons)!**

 **Songs: The Funeral - Band of Horses, It's Not My Time - 3 Doors Down (extra song: This is War - Thirty Second to Mars)**

 **XOXO T!**


	44. CH44 - Get Mad, Get Even

**POV: Adrian**

 _I downed the rest of my drink and picked up a cigarette, sticking it between my lips. I dug into my pocket to get a lighter while rummaging through the drawer, trying to find the knife I'd stashed in there. As I lit up the cigarette and took a long drag, my fingers finally brushed over the sharp edge of the blade. I bit the bud to allow my lips to part and let out the smoke from my lungs while moving over to the other side of the table where I'd left my package. I plunged the knife into the thick layer of duct tape on top and it split easily, so in no time I needed nothing but my hands to open the box._

" _What's that?", Dimitri voiced behind me._

 _I peered over my shoulder as he slowly walked over to me, sucking on my cigarette again before saying: "You should be in bed."_

 _He ignored me, waiting for me to answer his question instead. I reached inside and pulled out a bulletproof vest. I dangled it in front of him, making him roll his eyes and say: "I told you, I don't want it. I don't like wearing it."_

" _Nobody likes wearing it. But the condom rule applies."_

" _The condom rule?", he asked with a quirk of his eyebrow._

" _Yeah. You hate it, but it helps you dodge bullets."_

 _He blinked at me a few times, snorted and then outright laughed: "That's a terrible comparison."_

" _You understood it, didn't you?", I shrugged, tossing the vest at him._

" _You know you can't force me to wear this, right?"_

" _You know you're way too suicidal for someone who claims to be sane, right?"_

 _He made one of the rare, completely readable expressions he had. It was a hundred percent 'annoyed out of my mind' look. He sighed and rubbed his neck, but his arm twisted awkwardly because of his wound. I fixed my eyes on the bandages covering his chest to underline my point as I added: "If that guy's aim was only a bit more accurate, you wouldn't be standing here talking to me right now. That problem could be completely avoided in the future if you stop being so damn stubborn."_

" _And if I get shot in the head in the future, vest or no vest, I'll be dead. Besides, if I'm meant to go—."_

" _Oh, no", I cut in, shaking my head, "Don't start with that fate bullshit. I make the rules here and you're not allowed to go any-fucking-where. Got it? Now go back to bed."_

" _Your rules are ridiculous", he grumbled._

" _You're ridiculous."_

The soft click of a pencil got me to open my eyes. I couldn't sleep. Not really. I got lost in that familiar limbo between unconsciousness and shifting through memories I had no real wish to dive into. Guilt always put me in that state. Guilt and fear. Not being able to rest only added to my helplessness. Having no power — I didn't have a clue how to deal with it. It wasn't natural. It wasn't right. It was eating at me.

I watched Alberta check the IV drip and scribble something down on a pad before I decided to speak up: "How is he doing Doc?"

She twitched in surprise, but was quick to correct her posture and face me with that usual calm expression I envied at times. I was sure she kicked ass in poker. Peering at the mess of curls sprawled over my lap, she kept her voice low while she replied briefly: "Better."

"Better like he'll be up and running in no time or like he's not at death's door at the moment?"

She pursed her lips before saying: "He's not out of the woods yet, but he _is_ getting away from that door one step at a time."

"You think he'll wake up soon?"

She shrugged, but attempted what I figured was a reassuring smile. I felt Rose shift and instinctively sunk my hand into her hair, scratching her head gently to keep her calm. The arm she'd throw around my leg tightened, but her body quickly relaxed. She'd been in and out of conscious for hours and whenever she woke, I had to hold her down so she wouldn't fall off the couch. She gasped Dimitri's name every time she broke free of her nightmares and the fear in her voice pierced through my heart over and over again. Foucing on keeping her from falling apart was the only thing I could do to stay whole myself. I had to try my best to remain strong for the both of us until Dimitri pulled through.

 _Please fight_ , I silently pleaded whenever I looked at him.

"You should get some rest", Alberta said, but we both knew that wouldn't happen.

"Sure", I responded anyway before she left, surpassing Sydney on her way out.

I watched Sydney twist her hair around her finger, peeking at Dimitri before eyeing me with uncertainty. My lips twitched into a smile almost involuntarily as I nodded my approval for her to come in. I tried to keep my movements limited both because of Rose and because I figured anything sudden would freak Sydney out. I knew I'd scared her earlier. Fear still lingered in her eyes as she moved towards me now. She rubbed her arm and I felt my stomach knot up once I realized I must've left bruises on her.

Everything was still blurry. The shouting match Rose and I had with Ibrahim about going to the hospital, the drive to Tati's, calling every doctor from my contact's list while trying to keep Dimitri from bleeding out past the point of no return, watching them attempt to keep him alive and having to rip Rose away from him. It was all an unrealistic and jumbled mess. I remembered it vaguely, but it was as if it happened to someone else. But there were two vivid and crystal clear moments in that chaos I remembered perfectly. Not feeling Dimitri's pulse under my fingers when someone asked me to check it. And what I did to Sydney.

She was only trying to help. She was trying to take Rose from my arms to calm her and hug her. She wanted to comfort her best friend. But I was beside myself. It was a reflex reaction. I thought I was about to lose the most important person in my life and an irrational part of my brain cried _not Rose too_ once I felt her being ripped out of my hold. I wasn't in control. I watched my hands latch onto Sydney, heard a roar tear off my lips, felt my body move to pin her to the wall. I could see the fear in her amber eyes, hear her gasp out apologies, feel her trembling, but I could do nothing except wait for my mind to catch up and finally send out commands for my body to stop what it was doing.

"How—, how is he?", she stammered out while I fought to cast those images out of my head.

"Better", I muttered, willing myself to believe it too.

"And Rose?"

I glanced down at her and untangled my fingers from her hair slowly. She stirred as I lifted her head and maneuvered my way off the couch. Sydney moved and picked up a pillow, handing it to me tentatively. I eased Rose's head down on it, pausing to make sure she kept on sleeping before I answered: "She's alright for now."

Sydney's forehead furrowed in worry, but she nodded and gave me a small smile. It took a few moments for either of us to speak or move again and once it happened, I was the one to break the silence. I rubbed the back of my neck and forced myself to meet her eyes when I mumbled: "I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to—, losing my shit like that... I shouldn't have let that happen."

"It's okay", she cut in, but the way she hugged herself protectively indicated things were far from okay.

"It's not. I'm not—", I trailed off and it took me a few tries before I could continue, "I'm not a monster. I know I haven't given you a lot of proof of that, actually, I did quite the opposite, but I... I'll do better. I won't hurt you again. Ever. I swear."

Her eyes pierced through mine, like she was reaching into my soul with them, but I couldn't even scratch that golden surface, let alone make my way past it. Biting her lips, she studied me for several seconds and then simply said: "Okay, I believe you. And forgive you."

"You do?", I prompted, taken by surprise.

"Are you saying I shouldn't?"

"No. I'm just... surprised."

"Maybe you should give me more credit since I seem to be giving you quite a lot."

"I'll keep that in mind", I chuckled.

She moved past me and tucked Rose's blanket around her carefully before offering: "I can stay with her for a while. You can maybe shower, eat something. Oh and you should go find your aunt. She wanted to talk to you."

"Right, yeah, sounds like a plan. Thanks."

She nodded and settled down on the carpet, leaning on the couch. I glanced around, feeling a pang of panic once I thought about leaving the room. I gave myself a little mental nudge, repeating over and over that this was a safe place for my family, that they were protected here before I headed out. It didn't occur to me that I'd included Sydney into that group until I was already halfway down the hall. It was a mindless decision. She was Rose's family and Rose was mine. It wasn't a foreign concept to me. I did, after all, consider Dimitri's family a part of mine too. But, I used to think that was a privilege. Now, I couldn't help wondering if it was a curse. Looking at it from my current standpoint, all I saw in my family tree was a whole lot of dead. I'd be foolish... no, _selfish_ to try and add more people to it. _So why do I keep doing it_?

 **POV: Rose**

 _Roza._

My eyes snapped open as air unsteadily wooshed into my body. I sat up and peered across the room. _It's real_ , my mind supplied almost automatically despite my desire to deny Dimitri getting shot was anything but a sick and cruel nightmare. Sighing, I moved to get up until my legs got stuck on something. Adrian? _Sure, if his hair had grown and he'd dyed it blond in the last hour or so_. No, this was definitely a curled up on the floor, face buried in her arms which were folded on the couch, passed out Sydney. I brushed a hand through her hair, but she was out cold. She was probably as exhausted as the rest of us. I didn't think she'd wake, but I still slid off the couch as quietly as I could, tiptoeing my way to Dimitri's bed.

The steady beeping of the machines he was hooked to made my stomach turn. With no food in my system I was sure I was safe from throwing up, but that didn't stop a nauseating feeling from spreading all through me. I put my hand on his, seeing and feeling it shake when his didn't move to squeeze back. I swallowed a lump of tears that kept on fighting to burst out ever since we got here. I had to hold them back. It was the only way I'd stop myself from crumbling and ending up curled in a ball for however long it took Dimitri to recover. _If he recovers_.

I shook my head to cast my last thought out and lifted his hand. I ducked down and pressed my lips to his fingers before whispering: "I'll be right back."

I knew he probably couldn't hear me, but it felt right to tell him that. I snuck out of the room and eased the door to a close, deciding I'd let Syd get a bit more rest until it was time to chase her off to an actual bed before all of her muscles could cramp.

The more I progressed down the hall, the louder the rumble of voices floating from downstairs became. I couldn't make out who was talking or what they were saying, at least not until I was just outside the living room. The first clear sentence I caught was spoken through a roar: "What I'd like is to make someone—, make _them_ pay. I want to kill every single person who had a hand in what happened last night."

"Unfortunately, we're currently out of bitter revenge so it's either tea or nothing", I heard Tatiana's calm response before I pushed the door open.

"Take the tea", Ibrahim voiced, raising his own cup, "It'll calm your nerves."

Ibrahim and Tatiana were both seated, but Adrian restlessly paced back and forth at the speed that was surely going to tire him soon. I was certain the sharp slide of his shoes through the carpet would eventually end in sparks and then a raging fire.

"Fuck that", Adrian snapped which led to Tatiana mumbling _language_. He stopped pacing when he noticed me lingering in the doorway.

"Anger only makes you stupid and being stupid gets you killed", Ibrahim voiced as I moved, stepping into his and Tatiana's line of sigh.

"Is your only purpose here spewing words of _wisdom_ or will you actually decide to do something useful?"

"Rosemarie, how nice of you to join us", he responded nearly cheerfully.

Tatiana nodded a greeting as I shifted closer to Adrian, reaching out until our hands brushed. I really wanted to lace my fingers with his and let that comforting warmth of his touch ground me, but I knew now wasn't the right time for it. This place was safe, but it wasn't our home. Tatiana was Adrian's family, but I still didn't trust her. And I trusted Ibrahim even less. Adrian had to stay in control here, he had to be the kind of person everyone around would respect, if for no other reason than because they feared him. Kindness, gentleness — these people considered them weaknesses and I knew Adrian couldn't show them. At least not more than he already has. So, I pulled away quickly, only sharing a slightly lingering look with him that was meant to show him I was alright and on board with whatever he wanted to do or say next.

"No more games. I'm going after Dashkov. Those who are working alongside him signed their death warrant the moment Mia Rinaldi died."

"You're not wrong about that", Wilket spoke up from behind me, waving with his phone to underline his words, "Andrea called."

"Wait, isn't that Spiridon's boss?", I asked as I moved to sit down. It didn't take me long to abandon that idea. Every free spot was either next to Ibrahim or Tatiana and I did _not_ want to be anywhere near them.

"Yeah", Adrian replied before Ibrahim frowned.

"Actually, I believe Spiridon works for Dashkov."

"Why am I not surprised that you know that? You're great pals after all, right? And it's _worked_. Past tense. Adrian killed him when he tried to kill _me_."

"He didn't try to kill you", he responded calmly, taking a sip of his tea, "He tried to retrieve you."

"Well, him shooting me said otherwise", I nearly screamed before Adrian put his hand on my shoulder, probably with the intention of calming me.

"What did Andrea want?", Adrian asked Wilket who'd been shifting from one foot to the other uncomfortably through the brief argument.

"Peace. He actually confirmed in a way what Mr. Mazur just said. Apparently, their ranks had been infiltrated by a few men who seemed to have worked for Victor. He took care of that situation, but he said he's aware of the troubles that brought you. I told him you weren't in a forgiving mood, but he said perhaps a gift will make you reconsider."

"A gift?"

"He set up a meeting for you. Soldati family."

"Soldatis are backing Dashkov. Why the fuck would I want to meet with them?"

"Their not backing him anymore. Andrea said they're far from switching sides, but they _are_ willing to give you valuable information. For a price, of course."

"Of course."

"But why would they turn on him? I mean, I know I don't really know these people or much about all the gangs, groups and mafias, but this sounds like another trap to me", I voiced, seeing Adrian's forehead furrow thoughtfully.

"Dashkov fucked up", Wilket offered.

"How?"

"Mia", Adrian muttered, glancing at me briefly, "She was supposed to be protected from _everyone_. Rinaldis avoided being a part of any war for decades. They're what you might call mediators. And Mia's father is basically a convenience store for any illegal thing you want to get your hands on and he sells to anyone, no picking sides or favouritism. By killing Mia Dashkov essentially invaded Switzerland which was the quickest and most effective way to piss a lot of people off."

"That doesn't mean everyone is willing to back out of the fight", Ibrahim added as Tatiana placed her teacup down, "Many will continue to follow him despite this."

"What Dashkov did tipped the scales", Tatiana voiced, "It's yet to be determined in whose favour. There'll be those who won't be willing to follow him after this. And, as Ibrahim pointed out, others will put it aside only because such ruthlessness gives them reassurance that he'll stop at nothing to win. However, our supporters could get scared off. This was never just a war. It was and is retribution. The girl's death, unfortunate as it was, didn't come out of nowhere. Rinaldis didn't choose sides, but even I know she was our sympathizer. Killing her was a strategic move meant to do damage to our support. He more or less told the world _this_ is what happens to those who stand beside us, even if they don't actually fight with us."

"So, you think anyone who was willing to support Adrian will back down to avoid retribution themselves?", I asked, feeling uneasy even before I finished speaking. If she was right, we were going to lose. And losing was just another word for dying around here.

Adrian didn't wait for confirmation. His jaw tightened and his frown deepened. He absentmindedly nodded, cleared his throat before he announced: "Then we have to make a move before fear can fully settle in. Wilket, call Andrea, tell him I'll meet the Soldatis _today_."

"Yes Sir."

"I'll come with", I instantly said which made Ibrahim lose his cool and jump out of his seat with a protest.

"You're not going anywhere."

"Did that sound like a question? Because it wasn't. And it certainly wouldn't have been directed at you if it was."

"Rosemarie—."

"Don't!", I warned, glaring at him, "Don't presume that you have any say in what I do with my life. You've already mostly lost your vote in my decision making when you abandoned me and you've _definitely_ lost it when I was tortured and had to pick between becoming a murderer and watching the man I love die. You honestly think giving us a lift is going to make up for your betrayal? It won't. Now, everyone here seems cool with the fact that you're still breathing but, if you ask me, you're lucky Adrian took my gun or I would've—."

 _Killed you_. I couldn't get the words out. I could think about them, but not say them. _Could you live with someone's blood on your hands_?, Dimitri once asked me. They were already coated in it. Jesse and all the people I shot last night... that was quite a lot of lives to carry on my conscious, my soul, for the rest of my life. I didn't know if I could add Ibrahim to the list. Then again, Dimitri did also say he'd kill his own father on sight so maybe I could bring myself to do the same.

"R—", Ibrahim tried, but I didn't give him a chance to finish my name.

"Do _not_ interrupt me", I hissed through gritted teeth, taking a few steps forward, "I mean, what did you think was gonna happen when you popped in two decades late, going all Star Wars _I'm your father_? And don't even think about giving me that shit line — I did all of this for you. What I wanted, _needed_ , were parents who'd protect, love and stick with me, not ditch me because things weren't perfect. You took the easy road not the best. Nothing you say will make that less true. So what exactly do you want from Ibrahim?"

By the time I stopped talking my lungs were screaming at me for air and my mouth felt like sandpaper. I could sense wide-eyed stares drilling holes into my head, but I couldn't find it within me to care. Ibrahim's face had paled through my rant, but he was quick to scold the slack-jawed expression my words had caused before asking: "Are you done?"

"Yeah. Adrian, ready to go?"

If I were to base my interpretation of Adrian's thoughts solely on his expression, he was the closest he's ever been to wanting to give me a big, fat, juicy kiss. The pride in his eyes was oddly heartwarming. Before he could say anything though, Ibrahim continued: "I'd given you the courtesy of listening to what you had to say. Now it's your turn. Take a seat Rosemarie."

"I'm not—."

"Take. A seat", he punched out, giving me a look that actually scared me, "Tatiana, I don't wish to abuse your hospitality, but if you could please—."

She stood up before he'd finished, addressing Adrian: "Let's go find you some new clothes."

"Tati", Adrian started, glancing at me with uncertainty.

"Now, boy."

He looked torn and I could really blame him. His aunt wasn't someone you wanted to disobey, but I wouldn't want to leave him alone if roles were reversed either. His reluctance was appreciated and even when my mind screamed at me to do anything to make him stay, I gritted my teeth and gave him a sharp nod. _I'm a big girl_ , I told him through the brief eye contact we shared. He left and I took the armchair closest to the door. I forced myself to stay, but left myself a quick way out of here in case I needed it. Better safe than sorry.

Ibrahim wasted no time. He sat down as soon as the door closed behind Adrian and said: "You asked what I want _from_ you? Nothing. What I want _for_ you is a different story altogether. I never presume anything and neither should you. You don't know much about me so I don't expect you to understand my motives for wanting to give you a normal life and wanting to keep you as safe as possible. I willingly admit my failures, but don't ever think that there's anything I would put in front of you. Now, I'm sorry you were—."

He stopped so abruptly it caught me by surprise. His face twitched, painfully, and it took him a few moments to continue: "I will never forgive myself for the fact that I helped put you on a path both your mother and I did all we could to keep you from. And even if you wanted to, I wouldn't expect you to forgive me either. And though saying this won't really make a difference or change what had happened to you, no one gave me a guidebook on how to save you. I was forced to make things up as I go which is why I chose to work with someone I didn't want to and hoped that was the quickest way to get you out of this mess."

I really wanted to pout and refuse to speak until he told me he was finished, but the little voice in my head that sounded an awful lot like Dimitri wouldn't let me. I had to truly be a big girl. I had to because I'd avoided being an adult for far to long and I didn't have that luxury anymore. So, once Ibrahim paused and obviously gave me a shot to participate, I pushed out: "You had to have known Victor would play you. I mean, sure, I don't know you, but I'm willing to bet my intelligence was inherited from both of my parents."

"I'd taken that possibility into my considerations, yes. But I was certain Victor, just like Ivashkov, wouldn't dare kill you and I figured I should try a different approach in my attempts to rescue you. I'd gotten nowhere trying to free you from Ivashkov on my own."

"Did it ever occur to you that I didn't need or want rescuing?"

"Not until I saw you protecting him and Belikov yesterday. I didn't think—."

"I was brave enough to do it?", I prompted, watching a small smile twitch his lips.

"I knew you were brave Rose, I just didn't realize you'd come to care for them."

"Love them", I corrected which made him shift almost uncomfortably, "I love them both. And there's nothing _I_ would put in front of _them_. I'd die before letting Victor kill them. So if you care about me as much as you're trying to convince me you do, then you'll help them."

He was silent for a small eternity, his face completely blank though I could almost see the cogs in his brain working and then he finally said: "Alright. What should I do?"

"For now, stay here. Someone needs to keep Dimitri and Sydney safe."

"You'd trust me with their lives?", he questioned with a dose of amusement.

"I don't trust you, but I'm certain you wouldn't dare let them die", I said, knowing I sounded a lot like him when he talked about Victor and giving him a smirk once I made sure he knew it too, "I have to go. Nice talk. Let's _not_ do it again."

"Agreed", he muttered while I stood up and headed for the door. I paused, glancing at him over my shoulder to add one last thing.

"And Ibrahim, if you betray us again—", I started, fighting to finish my threat. _Ah, freaking voice of reason that sounds like Dimitri, leave me alone_! Alright, fine. If I couldn't work past those damn words I could certainly improvise: "You're going to wish one of your enemies had the balls to off me."

Rose one, imaginary Dimitri zero.

 **POV: Kit**

Soldatis were a nightmare to make deals with. That much was obvious when we all wound up going in circles where Adrian patiently asked for Dashkov's location and Massimo constantly claimed he'd love to help, but also wouldn't back down until it was made clear what he'd get in return. I've been a part of many negotiations since I started working for Adrian, I knew all of his strategies and approaches so noticing he was reluctant to give into any demands didn't escape my notice. I didn't know if it was his lack of trust in them or the fact that he was surely tired of being forced to cooperate with scum. Either way, we were getting nowhere.

"You know this isn't how things work amico", Massimo pressed before his brother, Emilio, tried to end the pointless discussion.

"Come on now. I'm sure we can work out our _compensation_ with Andrea."

"Andrea isn't here", one of their men protested and I couldn't help thinking Adrian would bury me if I talked over him like that, "We're here to negotiate with this one so... what do we get for helping you?"

"You get to keep breathing", Rose mumbled to herself, but didn't do it as quietly as she probably meant to.

"Nobody asked you, puttana", the man hissed and I noticed Adrian freeze with his cigarette halfway to his mouth. I didn't know what the last word meant, but Adrian clearly did. Massimo and Emilio cringed at it and seemed somewhat alerted when Adrian put out his half-finished cigarette in the closest ashtray and took a few steps forward. He gave the brothers a warning look once they attempted to move as well.

"If you don't want me as your enemy—", he trailed off, but Emilio clearly finished the sentence on his own, pulling his brother back and muttering something to him.

Adrian's lips pulled into a smile, but there was something twisted in his expression, something that looked a lot like a predator zoning in on its prey. He fixed his sharp, cold gaze on the man and added: "How rude of me to not introduce the lovely lady. Her name is Rosemarie Hathaway."

I saw his hand curl into a fist and put my over my holster. The men left of Massimo started pulling his gun out before he was stopped by his boss. I knew what was in the cards for the guy who called Rose whatever puttana meant, not that I couldn't guess, and saw realization filling his face seconds before Adrian's fist came flying toward him. It was a blow strong enough to knock him down. Everyone tensed, but no one tried to interfere. Our forces were equal and it didn't take a genius to figure out most of us wouldn't walk away from this if guns joined the party. Still, I had to be ready for anything. This apartment was one of Andrea's safehouses, but the fact that it was on the third floor didn't really instil the feeling of safety. There were no easy escape routes out of here so if push came to shove, we'd be in some deep shit.

"She's a friend of my family", Adrian hissed, kicking the man a few times and then circled him with his legs, ducking to grab the front of his shirt and pull him closer.

The man scrambled to get his gun, but Adrian swiftly kicked it out of reach. He did all he could to shield himself, but Adrian's hits came down hard and on every place he could reach as he added: "And, I assure you, the furthest thing from a _whore_."

Soldati's men began murmuring something in Italian to their bosses and I looked at Wilket for clues. He understood the language to some extent and the uneasy shift in his posture made me nervous. I delicately moved closer to Rose who'd been staring at Adrian and flinching with each hit he delivered. I brushed her shoulder and tilted my head to motion her back. Her feet moved, but her eyes stayed glued to Adrian as he continued: "So I suggest. You show her. Some fucking respect!"

Blood was already pouring out of the man's nose and his left eye was barely visible because of the tarnished skin and swellings around it. The last blow Adrian landed, by the sound of it, broke a bone or two. He let go of him and let him struggle to his knees before reaching under his jacket for his gun. Just like that every holster in the room was emptied and I knew we were a match away from lighting the fuse of this already volatile situation. There was a collective intake of breath as Adrian clicked the safety off and lined the gun up with the man's head. I felt Rose burying her face into my shoulder a second before the bang.

I watched Adrian as he carefully pinched the handkerchief folded in the pocket of his jacket and pull it out. He used it to leisurely wipe blood off his knuckles before throwing it on the lifeless body in front of him. He straightened his clothes and ran a hand through his hair to smooth it back before he cleared his throat and said: "If anyone else wants to negotiate, step right up, but I suggest you make your decision wisely or your brains might as well decorate this ugly ass carpet."

The whole room stood still so, after allowing a few seconds of silence to go by, he added: "I'll take that as a no. Now, give me the information I want and I'll consider it a favour. Andrea can confirm I always return favours. Sounds good?"

Emilio stepped forward, motioning his men to lower their weapons. I nodded to the ones from our team to do the same. I was so focused on what everyone standing on the other side of the room was doing that I nearly missed Rose walking out. Adrian was clearly well aware of it though since he jerked his head in a silent order for me to follow her before she even opened the front door.

I instinctively looked for Ethan to let him know he should fill my spot as usual, but quickly and with a sinking feeling remembered he was no longer with us. The fight we had yesterday cost us a few of our men. Ethan Walker was one of them. Now, it was Ashford who stood where Ethan should be. He was a smart kid so he'd already moved closer to Adrian by the time our eyes met. He knew what to do but, as great as that was, I couldn't help feeling bitter about how easy he made replacing the guy who'd fought by my side for years seem. It wasn't his fault. Or Adrian's. We had a war to win and honoring and mourning our losses was a luxury we couldn't afford.

Rose hadn't gone far. I ran into her almost as soon as I stepped outside. Her back was turned to me and her hands firmly holding onto the railing of the stairway. She breathed in and pushed out: "I just needed a minute."

"Take as many as you want", I said, leaning in next to her. The way she ducked her head and hunched her shoulders made me realize she was trying to hide her face so I gave a bit of privacy by keeping my eyes glued to the wall on the other side of the stairway.

"I've never seen Adrian this—", she trailed off, clearly attempting to come up with an adequate description. I saved her the trouble.

"I have. Once. Two years ago. It was the first time Dimitri got seriously hurt."

Her head twitched and I could feel her eyes carefully climbing up to my face as she prompted: "He... _acts out_ when Dimitri is hurt?"

"He acts out whenever he pleases, but he emploads the ground he walks on when it comes to that man. He might seem detached and probably is when it comes to most of the world, but he sure as hell loves Dimitri."

"He's not the only one", she sighed and I instantly felt the urge to comfort her. She managed a smile when I put my hand over hers, but it was a faint one.

Before either of us could say anything else Adrian stormed out into the hallway, his phone in his hand. He brought it to his ear and hissed: "What?"

And then he froze. The expression that spread over his face was hard to describe. It was like a mix of relief, anger, happiness, fear, surprise and confusion all at once. It was quite unusual to see him so unguarded. Even more so when his voice trembled as he nearly whispered: "Dimitri?"

* * *

 **Hey everyone! It was past time I posted, huh? Not gonna lie, I'm not really all that proud of this chapter, but I wanted to give y'all an early Christmas present so here it is! I've been rewriting this thing for over a week and... well, what I didn't give you in quality I tried making up with quantity (aka this chapter is over 1000 something words longer than the usual)! Thoughts? Hope you guys don't hate it! Alsoooo, to all of you who've been asking about whether Rose will tear Abe a new one at some point, hope this was satisfying! XD**

 **Anyhow, I'll TRY to squeeze in another chapter before the year is up (especially cause I know y'all want to "see" Dimitri again), but no promises! I've been having difficulties writing lately for some reason so I don't know if I'll finish CH45 in time! If I don't, Happy New Year as well as Christmas!**

 **Question of the week: What's your favorite holiday related tradition? For me it's definitely the whole process I have with my folks when it comes to decorating the Christmas tree (though I have to say egg tapping for Easter is second place for sure)! We usually do it somewhere around the catholic Christmas and keep the tree and the rest of the decorations around until our (orthodox) Christmas is over! We (and I still don't know how or why we started doing this) listen to Crazy Frog Christmas CD every year while we decorate and that never stops making me smile!**

 **That's it for today!** **Thanks for reading! Happy holidays!** **I'm sending out hugs and kisses to all of you!**

 **Songs: Nothing To Lose But You - Three Days Grace, Familia - Nicki Minaj & Anuel AA **

**P.S. FF disabled email notifications for PMs! Thought I should share this in case you didn't notice!**


	45. CH45 - Crossing Lines

**POV: Dimitri**

Everything was black.

Black, empty, cold void. It stretched endlessly. It was nothingness. I was a part of it now. I died. Disappeared. That was it.

Then there was a spark and with it came a bit of warmth. The light grew. I watched it chase away the shadows up until it turned so blinding I could no longer look at it. Once it dialed down, I found myself staring at a... _fridge_? I blinked before focusing on my hand wrapped around its handle. It took me a moment to realize that I could actually feel the plastic beneath my fingers. _Is this real_?

I nearly jumped out of my skin when a loud shout erupted from behind.

"OH, COME ON! Did you see that? Fucking unbelievable!"

 _Adrian_?

I turned around, my eyes falling onto the back of his head. As it shaked and tilted half of his face came into my view. There was a dose of annoyance etched into it, but his expression still looked light.

"The ref is blind. I got no other explanation."

I froze. All questions about my surroundings, thoughts about why the couch Adrian was sitting on looked so oddly familiar, ponderings on how and why I was _here_ —wherever that was — came to a screeching halt. My eyes snapped to the man next to Adrian. They travelled from his sandy blond hair, to his deep blue eyes before settling on his wide smile. Everything about him was just as I remembered.

It was Ivan.

"Yo, Dimitri, are you brewing those beers or what?", Adrian shouted, peering over his shoulder in my general direction.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he was", Ivan chuckled, turning around and facing me with a smile that quickly twisted with worry, "Hey buddy, are you okay?"

Adrian twitched at Ivan's question and turned as well. Despite the alarm visible in his eyes, Adrian's tone was teasing when he said: "Did you run out of barley? I can go buy some if it'll make you happy."

"Dimka?", Ivan peeped, starting to stand up, "You look like you've seen a ghost. Is everything alright?"

"This can't be real", I whispered, taking a shaky step forward.

"Okay, I'm calling it!", Adrian exclaimed, jumping to his feet and heading towards me, "Time of alcohol overdose, eight tirthy PM."

Ivan followed his lead, both of them latching onto me and stirring me to the couch. Their grips felt real. All of this felt real. But it couldn't be. It simply and absolutely couldn't. Yet, the couch was solid when my back hit it and my palm stopped when it landed on Ivan's shoulder despite how much I was convinced it'd fall through it and prove that my mind was playing tricks on me.

I took a deep breath and, before I could overthink it any further, pulled Ivan into an impossibly tight hug. I heard a huff of protest from where his face ended up buried in my shoulder, but soon his arms came up to wrap around me. It took me a second to realize Adrian was tapping my shoulder before he laughed: "Aww, he is adorable when he's drunk."

"And weird", Ivan mumbled, trying to pry me off him, "I love you Dimka, but hell, I still need to breathe."

I reluctantly let go of him. I was afraid if I didn't hold onto him... to all of _this_ hard enough, it'd disappear. It would be ripped away from me. And I needed this. I need my two best friends grinning at me cheerfully, making happiness roll through every part of my body, giving me peace. I wanted to stay and a part of me, a big part, had no desire to figure out what was happening here. I just wanted to give into it. But, I couldn't. Not yet. Not until I was sure I'd actually get to stay.

"We have to get you sobered up before your wife gets back though", Adrian said, a worried frown crossing his face.

"She'll have our heads if she finds out we tricked you into drinking on the night of your anniversary."

"Especially if he can't get it up later", Adrian chuckled, his mood brightening up as quickly as it had turned gloomy.

"Dude!", Ivan exclaimed in horror, but clearly couldn't help a smile, "Don't plant a seed of self-doubt like that. It never ends well. Remember that night in Paris?"

"That was _not_ my fault", Adrian erupted which led them into a heated banter I was too dazed to follow.

 _Is this heaven_? It couldn't be. Men like me... we were meant to end up in that other, dark and twisted place. Somebody must've made a mistake. I shouldn't—, I didn't deserve to be here, just like I didn't deserve to be saved. I wished for the rest I'd thought was long overdue when I was still alive, but deep down I knew that wasn't waiting for me at the end of the line. It couldn't be. I'd done bad things. I'd hurt and killed people. It was one of the most important reasons why I thought I wasn't worthy of the love Roz—.

"Dimka, get the door for crying out loud", Ivan hissed, snapping my attention back to what was going on around me. He and Adrian were on their feet, frantically disposing of beer bottles and empty bags of snacks.

"Hurry up and let me in, I'll pee myself", a muffled voice came from behind what I figured was the front door.

 _Impossible_. _Roza_. _My Roza_.

Hearing her voice — that was the push I needed, the one thing that made me forget about all of my doubts. I didn't care if this was real. I didn't care about anything. I only wanted to see her, hold her, kiss her and let everything else fade away.

I sprung to my feet while Adrian tossed something into Ivan's hands and muttered: "Pregnant women and their bladders are a freaking nightmare. Sydney almost peed our bed the other night."

"Seriously?", Ivan laughed while I rushed towards the door Roza was persistently pounding on.

"Comrade, I'm not kidding", she shouted as I grabbed the knob and unlocked the door, swinging it open. But I didn't see Rose when the door was no longer between us. I saw a bright flash. And then darkness swallowed me again.

"— started beeping faster and I'm not sure if that's a good sign", someone said. All I could tell was that their voice sounded distant and unfamiliar. I couldn't see them. As much as I tried, I couldn't see anything.

"Guess we're about to find out", another person voiced and I could hear them more clearly than the first, as if they were closer to me.

I tried to reach out to them, but I couldn't get my arm to move. My body was numb to the point that I could only barely flex my fingers. I wanted to speak, but couldn't get my lips to move. I became aware of the fact that my eyes were shut, my eyelids so heavy I would've thought they were glued together if they didn't tremble when I attempted to move them.

"Oh God, I think he's waking up", the person I heard speaking first sighed happily.

"Looks like it. Belikov? You with us?"

A low grumble spilled through the air and it took me a moment to realize I was its source. It was followed by a chuckle that I finally recognized belonged to a man. I knew him and, as he spoke again, I remembered who he was.

"I'll take that as a yes", Ibrahim Mazur said, "Ms. Sage, will you please phone the lovely doctor and let her know that her patient is awake?"

"Yes, of course."

I heard feet shuffling and then a creak of a door. A hand landed on my shoulder as I put all of my strength and focus into lifting my eyelids. After a few moments, it worked. At first I only took a peek through my lashes, frowning at the light coming from the ceiling, but then slowly I gritted my teeth and faced the world. Or, well, at least the part of the world that found itself right in front of my face. It was odd how I never noticed Rose's eyes were the same color as Ibrahim's.

"Welcome back kid", he said, leaning away as I blinked up at him.

I tried to get up as soon as I realized my body was no longer paralyzed. I should've known it was a bad idea. Pain shot through me instantly, but it wasn't as intense as I expected it to be. Still, Ibrahim's hand on my shoulder pressed against me to keep me down while he added: "Take it easy. They got you pretty bad."

"Rose?", I muttered and saw him quirking his eyebrow.

"Is fine. So is your dear cousin. They were both quite worried about you though."

"Where—?", I started, my voice raw from how dry my throat was.

"They went to take care of some business", Ibrahim cut in, saving me the trouble.

Sydney returned to the room, her face splitting into an honest and relieved smile. It was somehow reassuring to see her. Maybe because I knew she would be by Rose's side no matter what if her friend needed her or if she was in trouble. That meant that the business Ibrahim mentioned wasn't dangerous. _Or it is and it's exactly why they left Sydney behind_ , a part of me panicked, making me mumble: "P-phone."

"What was that?", Ibrahim prompted since what left my mouth sounded more like a groan than a word.

"I need a phone."

At that Sydney rushed to my side, handing over the phone she was holding. I typed in one of the rare numbers I knew by heart and dialed. I cleared my throat with two forced coughs while I waited, trying to stay calm even though the anxiety I felt just kept growing with every dull and monotonous ring that filled my ear. _Pick up, pick up, pick up_ , I silently begged, barely stopping myself from shouting in relief once I heard Adrian half bark, half hiss: "What?"

I didn't know whose phone this was, but they must've really pissed him off. It took me a couple of tries before I could come up with a response since my mind was too focused on the fact that Adrian was alright. Finally, I decided reciting the line he'd said to me when he was in a similar situation was the best way to go about it. I was sure joking would simultaneously dial his shock and reassure him I was fine.

"I'm at the very least owed a soothing tone and kind words after this close call."

Instead of laughter, I was only met with a deafeningly silent pause and then a short, whispered question: "Dimitri?"

"Hey."

A loud and panicked voice came from somewhere near Adrian. I couldn't make out any words, but I recognized it as Rose's. I wanted to ask him to give her the phone, but he only blurted: "Don't fall into a coma again. We'll be there soon."

The line went dead.

I thought the time it'd take Adrian and Rose to come back would pass slowly, but between Sydney and Ibrahim filling me in on what I'd missed and Alberta arriving to check on my wounds, it was like a blink of an eye really. I felt like it'd been a lot more than two days since I was last awake. I was still attempting to wrap my head around all of the information Ibrahim had served up for me, before he was ushered out of the room by Alberta, when someone announced their arrival by nearly taking the front door off its hinges by the sound of it. It didn't take a genius to figure out it was one of the two people I'd been waiting for.

Adrian was the first to burst into my room. With how out of breath he was, I wasn't sure he didn't opt to run all the way back here instead of using his car. His hair was a mess and I knew he'd made it that way by repeatedly running his hands through it. He always did that when he was nervous or worried. I would've thought it was the meeting with Soldatis that put him on the edge if not for the way he looked at me. I was the reason behind his fear and worry, it was right there in his eyes. But, before either of us could say anything about it, he nearly got knocked down by the second arrival.

I didn't even get a chance to blink before I got a facefull of dark curls. Rose was on my bed faster than a cheetah, wrapping her limbs around me like an octopus. There was no gentleness in her actions, but despite the discomfort verging on pain caused by her movements, I didn't mind it. I hugged her back as tightly as I could, taking a deep breath even though her hair was partly blocking the air flow.

"Rose, you're gonna crush him", Adrian chuckled unevenly.

"Fuck off", Rose mumbled into my shoulder, her hug turning into something closer to a chokehold before she finally pushed herself up so she could look at me.

I sunk my fingers into her wild lock and held them back as her lips found their way to mine. Our kiss lasted shortly since she pulled away to whisper: "I missed you."

"I can see that", I laughed, rubbing her nose with mine, "I missed you too."

"Alright, alright! Can you put the disgusting romance on pause so I can at least say hi?", Adrian protested, moving from the doorway.

Rose rolled her eyes and sat up, allowing him to come closer. He lowered his hand, hesitating a bit before placing it on my shoulder. With a gentle squeeze and a short, careful tap he let go, choosing to lean against the headboard instead as he huffed: "Please stop getting shot. It stresses me out."

"Oh, well if _you_ don't like it—."

"I'm sorry to break up the happy reunion", Alberta interrupted, reminding all of us that she was still there, Sydney patiently waiting by her side as well, "But, Dimitri really should get more rest if you want him back on his feet soon."

Adrian cleared his throat and muttered: "Right, um, Rose... you coming?"

Instead of responding to him directly, she looked at me pleadingly and whispered: "I want to lie here with you for a while if that's okay."

I tugged her into my embrace and planted a kiss on top of her head in agreement. Alberta warned her not to keep me awake for too long before leaving, Sydney and Adrian following her shortly while Adrian added: "I'll see you later Cousin."

I only nodded, my brain too fried to do anything more than simply register that his expression was a bit odd when he departed.

Rose lightly dragged her fingertips over my chest as we got comfortable. I relaxed under her touch, so much so that I found I had no control over my mind or mouth.

"I had a dream, while I was out", I mumbled, not sure why I was telling her that.

"What did you dream about?", she prompted, gazing up at me curiously.

"Adrian. You", I paused before adding, "Ivan was there too."

Her eyes lit up, but she opted to hum and nuzzle her face against my chest instead of saying anything on the topic. My arms wrapped around her further as a voice at the back of my head screamed out in fear that she might dissolve, like the dream I'd mentioned, if I didn't hold onto her with all of my strength.

I closed my eyes and focused on forcing my heartbeat to match hers. Exhaustion seeped into my bones, taking me by surprise. It'd barely been half an hour since I'd woken up, but it was clear I needed to make up for all of the sleepless nights I've had lately. I was afraid to give into that exhaustion at first, but having the woman I love safe in my arms eventually lulled me to sleep. Just before I dozed off, a quiet mumble spilled from my lips on its own: "You would've loved him."

I didn't think she replied, but then again, I was asleep the second those words were out. At some point, I woke up in time to see Sydney poking her head into the room. When I peered up at her, she mouthed sorry and backtracked, but I called out to her quietly. She cocked her brow in a question and I added: "Do me a favour?"

"Of course."

"Check on Adrian."

She frowned in obvious confusion, but nodded before closing the door behind her.

 **POV: Sydney**

I didn't even have an inkling about where Adrian went after we left Dimitri's room and headed downstairs. One moment he was right behind me, the next he vanished. I was slightly surprised when he didn't show up for dinner, but when Tatiana didn't ask Kit to go find him, I figured he'd either asked to be left alone or she assumed it was what he wanted. No one seemed worried or curious so I quickly forgot about it and focused on eating as fast as I could in order to escape Rose's father's company. He was a strange man, pushy too. He asked many questions I didn't want or wasn't sure I should answer. Luckily, Tatiana distracted him at some point by striking up a conversation about some people and events I knew nothing about. That gave me an opportunity to slip away undetected as soon as I was done eating.

With nothing better to do, I wandered around the house for about an hour, spending a bit of time with Eddie and Mason during their coffee break. In hindsight, going to Dimitri's room to check on him and Rose was a bad idea since it left me with a task I _really_ didn't want. I knew it'd be rude to ignore Dimitri's request, but I cursed my decision to turn around when he called after me all the way up to Adrian's room. In my aimless stroll, I'd explored most of the house so it really wasn't all that difficult to find my way to his door. I knocked and when I heard no response or signs of life from the other side, I almost left straight away. Almost. But the silence seemed too ominous. So, I knocked again then tried the knob.

The door wasn't locked which made sense because the room appeared to be empty. A couple of faint clinking noises coming from behind the curtains fluttering around the balcony door made me realize my assumption wasn't quite right. _It could be the wind_ , my mind prompted, _and nothing more_. I rocked on my heels while pondering if I should check to see what caused the noise then finally pushed myself forward. I walked over to the door slowly. The curtains wrapped around me like vines when I was within their reach and I wound up paying more attention to fighting them off than to where I was going.

"Careful", a warning came as I stumbled outside.

I huffed and swatted the rest of the flimsy material off my face, freezing as soon as I realized why the direction Adrian's voice came from sounded impossible. He was sitting on the railing, his feet dangling on the wrong and dangerous side of it. More clinks followed as he knocked the bottle he was holding against the railing when he tried to wiggle around to look at me. His free hand seemed to be alarmingly loosely wrapped around the bar beneath him. That weak grip was the only thing preventing him from falling and my heart leaped when I saw his fingers moving to uncurl.

"No, no, don't!", I cried out, making him pause, "Don't move!"

"Relax Sage, I—", he trailed off as he nearly dropped his bottle, some of the liquid escaping from it, "Ups."

"Adrian, please, just stay still."

He rolled his eyes, but obliged. I moved toward him, barely even lifting my feet off the floor since I was too afraid any sudden movements would startle him and make him fall. I slowly extended my hand, my heartbeat becoming frantic during the few agonizingly slow seconds that passed before my fingers brushed his sleeve. He was calm and patient, waiting until I latched onto him and met his eyes before he spoke again.

"We good?"

"No. We will be once you get back on this side of the balcony", I replied as I snuck under his arm and forced him to wrap it around my shoulders, "Come on."

"Are you serious?"

"Deadly", I hissed while he sighed and threw one of his legs back over the railing.

It took some careful maneuvering, but he eventually found his way down. I thought the tension would leave my body once he was no longer in eminent danger, but as I helped him straighten up on his feet, I realized the concept of personal space got all but lost in the meantime. His lips brushed my nose as I looked up, my lungs halting their work when I literally felt his words shaping in the small space left in-between our lips.

"Happy now?"

I swallowed down and gave him the smallest nod in the history of nods. Clearly, he was either unaware of how compromising our position was or he didn't care. When I stepped back he followed, his arm still partly hooked around me. I blurted out his name in a mix of a warning and a question by reflex and only then did he realize he was supposed to let go. He made a face that said ' _right_ ' before stepping back. Once we were no longer touching, I dared to inhale and he took a swing from his bottle. I was about to scold him when he added: "Dunno why you even care."

"Excuse me?"

"You'd be better off if I took a nosedive anyway", he mumbled, moving back to his room.

"Don't say that", I protested as I followed, ending up in that curtain trap nightmare again. _How come he didn't get stuck_?, I wined to myself.

"Why? It's the truth. Besides, I'm a monster. I'd deserve it."

"No, you're not. You said it yourself, you're not a—."

"I lied", he cut in, leaving his bottle on the nightstand while I caught up to him and tried to get him to face me, "I'm a liar and a monster. I'm rotten. Poison."

"Adrian—."

"This is my fault. All of it. My fault."

"W-what are you even talking about?", I exclaimed, reaching for him instinctively.

"No!", he snapped and I froze with my hand halfway to him, "No. You need to stay away from me. Stay far away. I destroy everything I touch. Everything."

"That's not true", I gasped weakly, ducking so I'd catch his gaze.

"It is. Everyone around me dies. And you don't know. You don't know what I did... you'd hate me if you knew. You hate me already."

"I don't hate you", I tried, but he shook his head, "I promise I don't, okay? Adrian? Hey, look at me."

He did. I was certain that the way I felt the moment our eyes met was very close to how people felt when they were struck by lightning. For a split second, all thoughts fled from my brain and I was left staring at him shell-shocked. His face showed so many different emotions that I couldn't even begin to figure out. The way his eyes shined made me think he either had a fever or was about to start crying. It was probably more likely that I'd get to see the halley's comet two times than Adrian in tears, but it looked like I was awfully close to witnessing something impossible.

"He almost died. I pushed him into this and he almost died", he whispered, more to himself than me.

The raw vulnerability in his voice and expression made me do something neither of us expected. I didn't know if he'd push me away or snap at me again, but I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him down into a hug. At first, he went rigid, but then I felt his hands touch my waist. He kept them there for a few moments and, though I couldn't see his face or hear his thoughts, I somehow knew he was trying to decide whether he should use them to push me away or pull me closer. Eventually, he picked the latter. His hug was gentle and tight at the same time. Warm. And... _safe_.

"He is fine. Dimitri is fine. You don't have to worry anymore", I whispered against his neck and felt him tremble. His breathing slowed down and his body slumped against mine as tension seeped out of him.

"I—", he started saying, his voice muffled against my shoulder and despite the fact that I didn't know what he was going to tell me, I was certain he chose to finish his sentence differently than he intended, "I think I should sit down."

I began pulling back, but he didn't let me move far. As my arms slipped away from him he caught one, tugging me after him as he moved to his bed. Once he sat down and I remained standing next to him, he looked up and asked: "Could you—?"

He trailed off, but I didn't really need him to finish. I sighed and fixed his eyes as I said: "Fine. But don't get any ideas."

"I won't", he solemnly answered and I actually believed him.

He moved back, lying down as I climbed onto the bed. _This is a bad idea_ , my mind warned, but I ignored it and stretched out next to him. He rolled onto his side while I curled my knees up to my chest. I trusted he'd stay true to his word, but putting a barrier between us still seemed like a smart precaution. A part of me was aware the barrier wasn't needed just because of him, but the rest of me wasn't quite willing to admit that being in the same bed with Adrian even with clothes on and without any touching, did some very worrying things to my heartbeat.

We laid next to each other without speaking or moving for a long time. I would've thought he'd fallen asleep if his eyes didn't flick up to mine every once in a while. He never held my gaze for too long, almost like he was ashamed or scared to do it. Neither of those options seemed likely, so I concluded he was probably only trying to make things less awkward. He knew that I stayed because he promised to be on good behaviour. What he didn't know was that I would've stayed even if he wasn't though I had no intentions on letting him know that. At least not until his eyes met mine once again and held them for a change. His gaze alone made my body heat up and I became distantly aware of a faint voice at the back of my head begging me to do something other than just stare at him like hypnotized.

He opened his mouth to say something, but no words made it out. Instead, he lifted his hand and slowly tucked my hair behind my ear. His index finger traced the shell of my ear and I felt a shiver run down my body. He must've felt it too. He froze for a moment, even the breath he was sucking in halting, but when I made no attempts to move away, kept going. His fingers ghosted over my neck, right beneath my jaw, until he reached my chin and tucked them underneath. He leaned toward me like he was going to kiss me, but stopped a mere inch shy of my lips.

"Thank you."

"W-what for?", I stammered, embarrassed that I couldn't keep my voice steady.

"For", he started, his eyes travelling all over my face in a way that made me think he was trying to commit to memory every single line of it, "Being here."

I was going to point out I didn't really have a choice in the matter since he did after all kidnap me, but instead I only ended up saying: "You're welcome."

His fingers moved again, sliding down to my collarbone and then tracing the upper edge of it. I considered telling him to stop, but my body was enjoying the touch too much and wouldn't let me do anything to make it go away. _He could kiss me_. I was certainly giving him, if nothing then some very mixed signals by allowing this. But he said he wouldn't. That night when we were in a gazebo. I made him promise it.

"Did you mean it?", he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Mean what?", I mumbled, my breath hitching while he played with the neckline of my blouse, never crossing the line or attempting to move it.

"When you said that you don't hate me."

"Yes."

"Good", he said as his hand suddenly dropped back onto the bed, "That's good."

I was surprised when every brain cell I had silently screamed at him to keep going. I tried to get myself under control, but failed miserably. I could see his lips moving while he talked, but I couldn't hear a word of it because of the blood pulsing in my ears. Whatever it was, it made him smile softly and I became completely consumed by the desire to kiss that smile. I sprung up, startling him into silence. He sat up too and stared at me a little wide-eyed.

"Sydney, are you alright?"

"No", I mumbled, "Not really."

If somebody would've told me that one day I'd tackle Adrian down and kiss him as if my life depended on it, I would've laughed them off. _Guess the joke is on me_. He was caught by surprise so much he didn't even have time to put up any resistance. I lost my balance when I jumped him, but he caught me before I could actually fall. I felt his lips move under mine, but not because he was trying to kiss me back.

"Syd—."

"You need to shut up and kiss me", I nearly growled which actually ended up being the thing that shook me out of my trans. I pulled away and blushed, adding: "If you want to. I didn't, um, mean to assume or—."

"Oh, trust me, I want to", he cut in, moving until I was straddling his lap and he sat up again, "But I distinctly remember you said you _don't_ want me to kiss you, _ever_."

"I know", I said, taking a deep breath, "Guess that makes me a liar too."

His eyebrow quirked and his lips slowly pulled into a smirk before he said: "Guess it does."

And then he was kissing me.

* * *

 **Drumrolls please...… guess who finally finished their chapter? Well, obviously you know it's me since you just read it XD Gosh guys, I'm so sorry it took me this long to post! I've already explained why I was MIA, but I figured I should still apologize one more time! But, I do have the best readers ever so I'm pretty sure most of you don't hate me for it *fingers crossed*! Anyhow, Dimitri is fine so you can all let out that breath you've been holding since December XD Andddd lets give a round of applause to Adrian and Sydney for finally quitting the overthinking business and diving in heart and lust first into this! Wasn't this chapter fun? Okay, maybe not fun, but at least very entertaining! Right, stop writing and let these lovely people talk about the chapter themselves Tia! Ready, set, go guys! :D**

 **Question of the week: Sooo since a lot of the shows that I'm watching are coming to and end this or the following year, I figured I should start browsing for new ones to obsess over (not that they have to be _new_ shows, I actually prefer watching the ones that aren't still being filmed since I hate waiting or at least those that have plenty of seasons to keep me entertained while I wait for the new stuff)! Which is why I decided to ask y'all, which shows would you recommend? My answer is kind of obvious since I stopped counting how many times I mentioned my favorite show (just in case anyone forgot it's Supernatural), but just to mix this up a little, I'll add more recommendations! If you're into comedy and shock humor go watch Shameless ASAP (the American version, I have no idea if the British one is any good)! Also, if you like CSI, murder solving kind of shows, but with a little twist Ripper Street is great and finished so you won't have to wait for new seasons! Bonus round: Vikings, Peaky Blinders, Narcos and Money Heist (aka La Casa de Papel) are all awesome! Your turn!**

 **Songs: Fake - The Tech Thieves, Seasons - Olly Murs**

 **P.S. I'll try to finish the following chapter this week so I can post it on time, but if I don't your patience is always appreciated and I'll repeat I'm NOT abandoning this story!**

 **P.P.S. Lots of love, hugs and kisses to all of you!**


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